The IAFNS Working Group on Erythritol is committed to proactively improving the science and evidence basis for decision making by all sectors. Regulators globally are seeking current information on the safety profile of erythritol and a deeper understanding of exogenous erythritol exposure. Industry is seeking to fully understand various low and no calorie sweeteners. And, academic researchers, including those focused on nutrition, are seeking additional hypotheses to test.

Why is this important?

Erythritol is an ingredient added to foods and beverages as a no calorie sweetener. Additionally, it can be added as a flavoring agent and/or a bulking agent. Erythritol is also produced endogenously in the human body and occurs naturally in some fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods.

A 2023 Nature Medicine paper (Witkowski, M., Nemet, I., Alamri, H. et al., 2023) reported an association between high erythritol blood levels and adverse cardiovascular events.  The study also reported pilot data on 8 subjects showing a substantial dietary erythritol intake was associated with increased blood clotting. More recently, a 2024 publication in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (Witkowski, M., Wilcox, J., Province, V. et al. 2024) reported on how erythritol consumption may enhance thrombosis potential.

Thus, there is interest to understand the ADME/toxicology of erythritol and erythritol exposure from the diet.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS
FDA CFSAN
Cargill
Hershey
Mondelez
Toronto Metropolitan University

MORE ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP

Following the evaluation of responses to a public RFP process the Erythritol Working Group is funding a review of the ADME/toxicology of erythritol - to include discussions on dietary sources of exposure.

Institution: Raptor Pharm & Tox, Ltd
Principal Investigator: Lyle Burgoon

Year Awarded: 2024