Is e955 vegan?

E955 is the European food additive code for sucralose, a high-intensity artificial sweetener. It is manufactured by selectively chlorinating sucrose, which is common table sugar derived from plant sources such as sugar beet or sugarcane. Through this multi-step chemical synthesis, three hydroxyl groups on the sucrose molecule are replaced with chlorine atoms, producing a substance that is roughly 600 times sweeter than regular sugar.

Food and beverage producers use E955 to sweeten low-calorie and sugar-free products without adding carbohydrates. It commonly appears on ingredient labels for diet soft drinks, sugarless chewing gum, flavored waters, protein powders, processed baked goods, gelatin desserts, and tabletop sweetener packets.

E955 is considered vegan because its production relies entirely on plant materials and synthetic chemical processes. No animal-derived ingredients, animal tissues, or animal byproducts are used in the commercial manufacturing of sucralose. Because the finished compound contains no animal-derived components, it is entirely suitable for a vegan diet.