Potential intakes of total polyols based on UK usage survey data

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Nutrition
• Toxicology

Background:

• Polyols are approved food additives used as sweeteners and for technological functions.
• Their use extends beyond sweetening across various food categories on a 'quantum satis' basis.
• The European Polyols Association (EPA) has cataloged 24 food categories detailing polyol usage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate potential consumer exposure to total polyols.
• To assess polyol intake based on different timeframes (per eating occasion, daily, 4-day average).
• To determine the relevance of intake levels to potential digestive discomfort.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the UK National Dietary and Nutrition survey database.
• Estimated polyol exposure using reported use levels across 24 food categories.
• Calculated intake on per-item, meal period, daily, and 4-day average bases.

Main Results:

• Daily polyol intake estimates were approximately double those on a per-item or meal-period basis.
• Intake averaged over 4 days was lower than daily estimates.
• At the 95th percentile, adults showed highest intake (5.6 g/meal period); children had higher intake relative to bodyweight (0.15 g/kg bw/meal period).

Conclusions:

• Intake per meal occasion is considered most relevant for assessing digestive discomfort.
• Potential polyol exposures are skewed towards lower values, with high intake levels associated with sweetener use being infrequent.
• Findings provide insights into dietary exposure to polyols for risk assessment.