Determination of Intense Sweeteners in Foodstuffs: Collaborative Trial

The results of a collaborative trial involving 12 laboratories are reported. The method tested comprised aqueous extraction, clean-up on solid phase extraction or with clarification reagents and separation by reversed-phase HPLC and W detection at 220 nm. The precision parameters calculated from the trial for the determination of acesulfume-K and saccharin were satisfactory when determining these analytes at levels near to the limits prescribed in The Sweeteners in Food Regulations 1995. INTRODUCTION Intense (previously known as “artificial”) sweeteners are a group of chemically unrelated compounds with “intense” sweetening action which are finding widespread application as sucrose-replacements in a variety of foodstuffs, particularly low-calorie food products. Their use arises in paft due to a perceived need to reduce the consumption of sucrose for dietary and health reasons, and because ofdevelopments in food processing technologies.