Highlights from the ISA Conference 2018
London, 06 November 2018: The latest research on low calorie sweeteners' use, benefits and role in the diet were discussed today at the 3rd International Sweeteners Association (ISA) Conference in London, themed "The science behind low calorie sweeteners: where evidence meets policy". With the mission to inform on the most up-to-date nutritional and scientific information on low calorie sweeteners, the ISA invited 17 internationally renowned experts to share updates on the role of low calorie sweeteners in the diet and in overall health.
Throughout the day, experts emphasised that the safety of approved low calorie sweeteners has been repeatedly confirmed by regulatory authorities around the world such as the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/ World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Dr Rebeca López-García, an experienced consultant toxicologist from Mexico, noted that "We can be confident about the safety of low calorie sweeteners currently approved for use in foods and beverages, as all sweeteners have undergone rigorous safety evaluations by food safety authorities prior to their approval for use, resulting in the assignment of an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)."
The conference ended with a lively panel discussion aiming at addressing the role of low calorie sweeteners in sugar reduction from a public health perspective. As summarised by the chair of the session, Prof Peter Rogers, Professor of Biological Psychology at the University of Bristol, UK, the panel speakers concluded that: "By replacing sugars, low calorie sweeteners can be a useful tool for food reformulation and a helpful way, among a pool of other strategies, for managing current issues of public health concern, notably sugar reduction and obesity".
With this conclusion in mind, the ISA will continue to work, together with other stakeholders, to make sure that positive solutions will be find to the global challenges posed by non-communicable diseases.
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For the full ISA Conference scientific programme, please click here .
For more information on low calorie sweeteners, please visit http://www.sweeteners.org .
About the ISA
The International Sweeteners Association (ISA) AISBL is an international non-profit organisation with scientific aims representing suppliers and users of low/no calorie sweeteners, including tabletop sweetener manufacturers.
About previous ISA Conferences
The International Sweeteners Association (ISA) organised its first scientific conference in Brussels, in 2011, on "Low calorie foods, beverages and sweeteners: Can they really contribute to a healthier future?". This was the starting point of the organisation of a successful scientific event around low calorie sweeteners' science, leading to another ISA Conference in 2014 in Brussels, on "Making low calorie count: the effective use of low calorie sweeteners in the diet".