Maltitol (E965): What the Sources Found

Maltitol is the sweetener the food industry lists as E965. In our table it is moderate risk: it takes 15 of the 33 additive points off a product's score for a child.

In short

Moderate risk. 15 of the 33 additive points come off a product that carries it.
No child flag. Nothing below is written about children specifically, so the class is the same at every age.
2 citations from EFSA, each one below.

What Maltitol does to a score

A packaged food starts with 33 points for what is in its ingredient list. Maltitol takes 15 of the 33 additive points off a product's score. Scan the pack in Sito and the score you get is the one for your own child's age, with this additive named in the reasons. How we score has the whole method.

What the sources found

Every classification in our table comes from the citations below, and nothing else. They are quoted as the source wrote them.

EFSA Call for data on genotoxicity data on maltitol (E 965 i), published 2023-01-24, deadline 2023-07-24 (efsa.europa.eu/en/call/call-data-genotoxicity-data-maltitol-e-965-i)
After a full assessment of the reliability and relevance of available genotoxicity studies, EFSA stated that 'the need for additional genotoxicity data of maltitols (E 965 i,ii) has been identified', citing the lack of a fully reliable in vitro micronucleus test.
EFSA Europe PMC query of EFSA Journal re-evaluation opinions for E 420/421/953/965/967 (executed 2026-08-10)
No completed EFSA re-evaluation opinion exists for maltitols; EU status rests on the pre-2009 SCF acceptance with no numerical ADI, plus the Reg. (EU) 1169/2011 laxative warning for foods with more than 10% added polyols.

Why this class

IARC Group 2B; or an EFSA re-evaluation that flagged genotoxicity data gaps, found safety could not be assessed on the available data, or cut the ADI citing child exposure; or an EU harmonised classification of the substance as a reproductive or developmental hazard; or an EU withdrawal of one authorised food use while others remain; or an OEHHA/Proposition 65 listing; or membership of the Southampton-six colourants.

Our confidence in this row's classification is medium. Medium or low does not mean the evidence is weak; it means something about the row is still being pinned down, usually a regulatory status confirmed from one source rather than two.