Is erythritol safe?

What is erythritol's regulatory status?

FDA lists erythritol among the sugar alcohols it permits as sugar substitutes. In GRAS Notice No. 76, closed September 11, 2001, a manufacturer told FDA that erythritol is generally recognized as safe for its intended uses, and FDA responded that it had no questions. A no-questions letter is FDA's response to that notice; it is not a food additive approval.

What did the 2023 erythritol study find?

Researchers measured erythritol in the blood of patients undergoing cardiac risk assessment or elective cardiac evaluation: 1,157 people in a US discovery group, then 2,149 US and 833 European patients in validation groups. Patients in the highest quarter of blood erythritol had a higher three-year rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (death, nonfatal heart attack, or stroke) than those in the lowest quarter. In laboratory experiments, erythritol increased platelet reactivity and clot formation, and in 8 healthy volunteers an erythritol drink kept blood levels raised for more than two days.

What can't the 2023 study show?

The study's own design limits what it can say about everyday eating:

1. It observed an association. It did not test whether eating erythritol causes cardiovascular events.
2. It measured erythritol in blood, not how much erythritol people ate.
3. Participants were patients already undergoing cardiac assessment, so the results may not describe the general population.
4. The feeding part involved 8 volunteers and measured blood levels, not health outcomes.
5. FDA reviewed the paper and determined that the observational studies it cited did not establish a causal link between consuming erythritol and the observed effects.
6. The authors themselves called for studies of erythritol's long-term safety.

How do you know if a protein bar contains erythritol?

Read the ingredient list for the word erythritol; the Sugar Alcohol line alone is not reliable because it is often voluntary. Erythritol is frequently paired with other sweeteners.