The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India’s latest announcement on the use of additives liberates many FMCG companies, which can now use low calorie alternative sweeteners in carbonated drinks  Consuming carbonated drinks may no longer add to calories, thanks to the usage of low calorie alternative sweeteners, presence of which in carbonated drinks will reduce calorie intake. In a notification issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), green signal has been given to the use of sugar substitutes or additives in carbonated drinks such as fruit juices and colas.
The practice of using sugar substitutes in carbonated water is quite popular in the Western countries. However, in India, it still generates fear in consumer minds. FSSAI’s notification is an outcome of the perpetual requests from the beverage industry, who like the Western nations wanted to reap benefits from using these sugar substitutes in their products.
In an interview with a FoodProcessing360 correspondent, Dr S K Halder, senior marketing officer at FSSAI and in-charge of Meat Food Products Order’s, Western region, said, “We have sought opinions from technical committees and food technologists on the issue. These additives are common names in the Western nations and it is a proven fact that its usage does not in any way negatively affect the human body.”
The additives
The two additives that have found a mention in FSSAI’s notification are sucralose or Splenda and Acesulfame potassium or Acesulfame K. The former is an additive with no calorie, which according to experts, is 600 times sweeter than sugar, maintains stability under heat and ensures longer shelf-life of food products. Acesulfame potassium, like sucralose, is another artificial sweetener, which is 180-200 times sweeter than sugar and contains no calorie.
S M Naikare, president of Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India), Pune Chapter, opines, “These kinds of additives are randomly used internationally. Its use in limited quantity will not be harmful for human consumption. In fact, its consumption will assure low calorie intake for the health conscious population of the country.”
However, not everyone has welcomed FSSAI’s announcement. Some are of the view that these artificial sweeteners are nothing but synthesised chemicals and are carcinogenic in nature.
Shalmoli Kundu
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