Xylitol (E967)

Xylitol is the sweetener the food industry lists as E967. In our table it is moderate risk: it takes 15 points off the additive subscore, a third of a product's score (about 5 of the 100).

What Xylitol does to a score

A packaged food's additive subscore starts at 100 and loses points for each additive on the label; that subscore is a third of the final score. Xylitol takes 15 points off the additive subscore, a third of a product's score (about 5 of the 100). 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. Each finding is our one-line summary of what the source concluded, with the source and reference beside it.

• EFSA Call for data on genotoxicity data on sweeteners, 2021-06-30 (efsa.europa.eu/en/call/call-data-genotoxicity-data-sweeteners)
  E 967 is named among sweeteners for which additional information relevant to the genotoxicity assessment was identified as needed, specifically the basic battery (bacterial reverse mutation OECD TG 471 and in vitro micronucleus OECD TG 487); no re-evaluation opinion has followed.
• Peer-reviewed Witkowski et al. 2024, European Heart Journal, 'Xylitol is prothrombotic and associated with cardiovascular risk' (PMID 38842092)
  Elevated plasma xylitol was associated with increased 3-year risk of heart attack, stroke or death; ingestion of 30 g xylitol produced comparable plasma elevations and acute enhancement of platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers.
• FDA 21 CFR 172.395 (govinfo CFR-2024-title21-vol3-sec172-395)
  Xylitol may be safely used in foods for special dietary uses at no more than the amount required to produce the intended effect — a narrower US authorisation than a general-purpose sweetener approval.

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.

Questions parents ask

Is Xylitol (E967) safe for kids?

Moderate risk. In Sito it takes 15 points off the additive subscore, a third of a product's score (about 5 of the 100). The finding we rely on: E 967 is named among sweeteners for which additional information relevant to the genotoxicity assessment was identified as needed, specifically the basic battery (bacterial reverse mutation OECD TG 471 and in vitro micronucleus OECD TG 487); no re-evaluation opinion has followed (EFSA Call for data on genotoxicity data on sweeteners, 2021-06-30 (efsa.europa.eu/en/call/call-data-genotoxicity-data-sweeteners)).

What is E967?

E967 is the E number for Xylitol, a sweetener. Open Food Facts tags it en:e967.

Next to it on the label

The E numbers either side of E967 in our table, then the closest sweeteners by number.

• Steviol glycosides (E960), low risk, flagged for young children
• Neotame (E961), low risk
• Salt of aspartame-acesulfame (E962), moderate risk
• Maltitol (E965), moderate risk
• Erythritol (E968), high risk, flagged for young children
• Advantame (E969), no risk identified