Decreased over the past ten years
He confirms that there has been “a decline in the use of sweetening ingredients over the past ten years, especially sugar syrup and sweeteners.” National Food Safety Agency (Anas) in a press statement.
More precisely, the agency studied the composition of more than 50,000 types of processed foods, both sweet and salty, from 2008 to 2020, to assess the extent to which they contain sweetening ingredients. These include not only classic white sugar (sucrose), but also sweeteners such as aspartame, as well as juices and fruit juices. The agency concluded that in 2020, the majority of foods (77%) still contained at least one sweetener, but there had been a decline in their use in previous years.
This is due to the fact that manufacturers are less inclined to use a large number of sweetener ingredients. But the agency warns that this should not be concluded as a general reduction in the sugar content of foods.
“This trend is partly related to the reformulation of products by manufacturers,” explains ANSES. “The formulations have been revised in favor of very common ingredients, such as white sugar […] Or that are perceived as more natural, such as fruit juices. » In contrast, “sugar syrups or artificial sweeteners are used much less,” ANSES adds.
Quantities used are rarely indicated.
The study only examines the nature and frequency of the ingredients listed, but not the quantities used, “which are rarely indicated on the packaging”, so it is not possible to draw conclusions regarding public health.
