Definition:

◣

◢

SWEETEST®Sucralose Health Benefits:

SWEETEST®Sucralose is currently one of the most widely used non-nutritive sweeteners in the world. It was developed jointly by Tate & Lyle and University College London and first approved for use in Canada in 1988. Since then, it has progressively gained safety certification from over 100 countries and regions worldwide, including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and China's National Health Commission. Its key advantage is its ability to balance taste and safety. It is 600-800 times sweeter than sucrose, has a taste curve that closely matches that of sugar and avoids the bitter aftertaste associated with aspartame or the grassy flavour found in stevioside. It has a wide range of applications in food, beverages, health supplements, cosmetics and other sectors.

■ Source

SWEETEST®Sucralose does not occur naturally; it is produced entirely through artificial chemical synthesis. Its core raw material is natural sucrose, which is refined from sugarcane or sugar beet. There are two main reasons why sucrose was selected as the raw material. Firstly, sucrose's molecular structure (containing eight hydroxyl groups) allows for precise modifications to be made to achieve the desired product. Secondly, sucrose has a natural sweetness, meaning the modified compound retains a flavour profile similar to that of natural sweeteners. The fundamental distinction between sucralose and natural sweeteners such as stevioside or luo han guo glycosides lies in the extraction process: the latter are obtained directly or undergo minimal processing from natural plants, whereas sucralose is a semi-natural, semi-synthetic product derived from the chemical modification of the sucrose molecule (three hydroxyl groups are replaced with chlorine atoms). Consequently, it does not fall within the category of natural extracts.

Particularities of SWEETEST®Sucralose:

Product Specifications:

SWEETEST®Sucralose is available in the following specification and contents:

○

○

☑ SWEETEST®Sucralose powder 98.0%-102.0%

Product quality standards:

● GB 25531, Food grade, In-house

▶ Weight management

▶ Maintaining stable blood glucose levels

SWEETEST®Sucralose Applications:

Thanks to its high sweetness, stability, low calorie content and taste profile that closely resembles that of sucrose, SWEETEST®Sucralose is used extensively across the food industry (its core sector), as well as in dietary supplements, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. It can be used in a variety of processing techniques and product forms.

The primary application scenario for sucralose is food, spanning multiple subcategories including beverages, confectionery, and baked goods. The addition of sucralose strictly adheres to national food safety standards (typically at the ppm level, i.e. milligrams per kilogram). In beverages, sucralose demonstrates acid and alkali resistance, as well as high-temperature tolerance (up to 121°C sterilisation processes), without altering the original flavour profile. It provides sustained sweetness without leaving an aftertaste. Typical addition levels range from 0.05 to 0.15 g/kg. It can be blended with allulose or stevioside to improve taste and reduce reliance on a single sweetener. In confectionery products, it exhibits non-cariogenic properties (oral bacteria cannot ferment it), has a low calorie content and releases sweetness uniformly during chewing without becoming sticky. It is also highly stable at room temperature and is non-hygroscopic. Addition rate: 0.5-1.5 g/kg. In chewing gum formulations, it can be combined with sugar alcohols, such as maltitol and sorbitol, to improve texture and increase satiety. Applications in baked goods exhibit high-temperature tolerance (no decomposition below 200°C) and can withstand baking temperatures while retaining >95% of their sweetness. They do not affect dough fermentation or product colour. Dosage: 0.1-0.5 g/kg. Thorough mixing with ingredients such as flour and fats is required to prevent uneven distribution of sweetness. It can partially replace sucrose in baked goods to reduce their calorie and sugar content. It exhibits excellent compatibility with the buttery flavour profile of dairy fats without masking the natural milk aroma. Its low-calorie nature does not affect the stability of nutritional components such as protein and calcium in dairy products. It is recommended that it is added at a rate of 0.05-0.2 g/kg during the cooling phase after yoghurt fermentation to prevent flavour degradation from high temperatures. In ice cream formulations, it can be combined with stabilisers to improve texture.

SWEETEST®Sucralose is primarily used in dietary supplements to improve taste and adapt to different dosage forms. It is particularly well-suited to supplements that control sugar intake. Examples include oral supplements such as vitamin supplements (chewable tablets, effervescent tablets and syrups), mineral supplements (chewable calcium, iron and zinc tablets), probiotic formulations (sugar-free probiotic powders and oral liquids), protein powders (sugar-free whey and plant protein) and amino acid supplements (branched-chain amino acid beverages). It masks the bitterness or unpleasant odours of raw materials (e.g. B vitamins and iron supplements), thereby enhancing compliance. As it is low in calories, it does not increase the caloric content of supplements, making it suitable for individuals managing their sugar intake. In special medical-purpose formula foods, it does not affect glucose metabolism, catering to the nutritional needs of special populations, such as diabetics. Its taste profile closely resembles natural sweetness, thereby enhancing dietary satisfaction for these groups.

In addition to its use in food and supplements, sucralose is employed in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other sectors, primarily due to its sweetness and safety profiles. In oral care products, for example, it is non-cariogenic and enhances product palatability, reducing user discomfort during application. In lip products and children's cosmetics, its low irritancy and high safety profile meet cosmetic ingredient standards. In the pharmaceutical industry, it masks bitter or unpleasant tastes, thereby improving medication adherence, particularly among children and the elderly. As it is pharmacologically inactive, it does not interact with drug components or compromise therapeutic efficacy.

SWEETEST®Sucralose contains ≤1 kcal/g, which is significantly lower than the 4 kcal/g found in sucrose. The human absorption rate is also significantly lower at <1%. Most of it is excreted unchanged, providing virtually no energy. When used as a substitute for sucrose in food and beverages, it preserves the sweetness while substantially reducing total dietary calorie intake. This mitigates the obesity risks associated with excess calories, aligning with dietary requirements for weight management and fat reduction. A 500 ml bottle of sugar-free beverage containing sucralose typically contains less than 5 kcal, whereas a standard sugary drink contains around 200 kcal. Long-term substitution can substantially reduce cumulative calorie intake.

Following chlorination modification, sucralose's molecular structure cannot be broken down by digestive enzymes in the human gut, meaning it does not participate in blood glucose metabolism. Therefore, its ingestion does not cause blood glucose levels to rise, nor does it require insulin for metabolism. Therefore, it is suitable for individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, as well as those with elevated blood glucose levels. It satisfies their sweet taste requirements without affecting blood glucose control. Clinical studies indicate that diabetic patients who consume sucralose daily at the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) level (15 mg/kg body weight) do not experience significant fluctuations in blood glucose, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) or related indicators.

▶ Reducing associated health risks

Cariogenic bacteria in the mouth, such as Streptococcus mutans, cannot ferment sucralose. This means that they do not produce acidic metabolic by-products, which prevents the erosion of tooth enamel by acid. Substituting sucrose with SWEETEST®Sucralose in products such as chewing gum, confectionery and beverages reduces the incidence of dental caries, making sucralose particularly suitable for high-risk groups such as children and adolescents. However, long-term excessive sucrose intake can increase hepatic metabolic stress, potentially leading to conditions such as fatty liver disease and hypertriglyceridaemia. However, sucralose is not metabolised by the liver and does not accumulate there. Therefore, substituting sucrose with sucralose reduces the metabolic burden on the liver regarding sugar processing and indirectly protects liver function.

■ Physical and chemical properties

SWEETEST®Sucralose is a white, odourless, crystalline powder with uniform granules and excellent flow properties. At 25°C, it is 28.2 times more soluble in water than sucrose. It readily dissolves in organic solvents such as ethanol, methanol and propylene glycol, making it compatible with a variety of food processing systems. It has an exceptional melting point of approximately 125-128°C (decomposition temperature) and exhibits minimal moisture absorption or caking at ambient temperatures. It remains stable across a pH range of 2-10 and can tolerate the acidic and alkaline conditions encountered in food processing without undergoing hydrolysis or decomposition. When heated for one hour below 200°C, it exhibits no significant decomposition, withstanding high-temperature processes such as baking (180°C), boiling (100°C) and sterilisation (121°C high-pressure steam) while retaining over 95% of its sweetness. It does not react with food components, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates or vitamins, nor does it interact with additives such as preservatives, colourings or flavourings. The sweetness intensity fluctuates slightly with concentration: at low concentrations (0.01-0.05%), the sweetness is approximately 700 times that of sucrose, whereas at high concentrations (above 0.1%), the sweetness is approximately 600 times that of sucrose. No sweetness ceiling effect is observed. Upon ingestion, the sweetness is released rapidly, reaching a peak intensity comparable to that of sucrose, which lasts for approximately 30 seconds. It leaves no residual bitterness, metallic taste or grassy flavour, making its taste profile currently closest to that of sucrose of all the artificial sweeteners. Once inside the human body, most of it is excreted unchanged in faeces (approximately 85%), while a small amount is absorbed and subsequently excreted in urine (approximately 10%). It does not participate in glucose metabolism and does not accumulate in organs such as the liver or kidneys.

■ Production technology characteristics

The primary industrial method of producing sucralose currently involves chemical synthesis from sucrose, accounting for over 90% of global capacity. Other processes, such as biosynthesis and enzymatic synthesis, are still in the early stages of industrialisation. A four-step reaction involving protection, chlorination, deprotection and dechlorination precisely substitutes the three hydroxyl groups at positions 4, 1' and 6' in the sucrose molecule with chlorine atoms, yielding trichlorosucrose. Purification of this compound precisely replaces the three hydroxyl groups with chlorine atoms, yielding sucralose. Refined sucrose with ≥99.5% purity (anhydrous or monohydrate) is dissolved in methanol or dimethylformamide (DMF) to prepare a 10-20% sucrose solution. A small amount of stabiliser (e.g. anhydrous sodium carbonate) is added to adjust the pH to 7.0-7.5 and remove trace impurities (e.g. iron and calcium ions) from the solution, thus preventing interference with subsequent reactions. The hydroxyl groups at positions 1, 2, 3, 3', and 6 of the sucrose molecule are selectively protected, leaving only the target hydroxyl groups at positions 4, 1', and 6' exposed.

Common protecting groups, such as acetyl (-COCH₃), are introduced via acetylation. Add acetic anhydride (or acyl chloride) as the acylating agent to the sucrose solution and incorporate pyridine as a catalyst. Maintain the temperature at 25-30 °C and react for 4-6 hours to yield pentaacetyl sucrose. The target hydroxyl groups (4, 1', 6') will remain unprotected and will be susceptible to attack by the chlorinating agent.

Selective chlorination is the most critical step in the process, as it directly determines the purity and yield of the product. In industry, a mixture of phosphorus trichloride (POCl3) and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) or thionyl chloride (SOCl₂) is commonly used. The former offers milder reaction conditions and higher selectivity. The pentacetyl sucrose solution is cooled to between 0 and 5°C, and the chlorinating agent is slowly added dropwise (the molar ratio of sucrose to the chlorinating agent is between 1 and 3.5-4.0). Once the addition is complete, the temperature is increased to 30-35°C and the mixture is held at this temperature for 8-12 hours. Reaction progress should be monitored in real time via thin-layer chromatography (TLC) or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to prevent over-chlorination, which yields by-products such as tetrachlorosucrose or pentachlorosucrose. The objective of the deprotection reaction is to remove the five acetyl protective groups introduced in the second step and restore the molecule's sweetness activity. Add a 10% sodium hydroxide solution (or sodium methoxide in methanol) to the reaction mixture. Adjust the pH to 10-11 and maintain the temperature at 20-25°C. React for 2-3 hours. Finally, adjust the pH to neutrality (6.5-7.0) using hydrochloric acid to prevent excessive hydrolysis from damaging the product structure. The resulting crude sucralose will contain impurities such as unreacted raw materials, by-products and salts.

Solid impurities, such as catalyst residues and salt precipitates, are removed from the reaction solution using plate-and-frame or ceramic membrane filtration. Organic solvents, such as methanol and dimethylformamide (DMF), are recovered via vacuum distillation at a temperature of 40-50°C and a pressure of 0.08-0.09 MPa for recycling. Use an ion exchange resin column to remove ionic impurities (e.g. Na⁺, Cl⁻ and acetate ions) and some organic impurities from the solution. Use preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or gel chromatography to separate sucralose from by-products (e.g. sucralose dichloride and sucralose tetrachloride), yielding a sucralose solution with ≥98% purity. Concentrate the purified solution to a solids content of 50-60%, add ethanol as a seed crystal and cool to crystallise at 10-15°C for 12-24 hours. Separate the crystals by centrifugation and then vacuum dry at 60-70°C to obtain the final sucralose product with a purity of ≥99.5%.