Ingredient Index · E968

Is Erythritol banned in Europe?

Legal in both

No: erythritol (E968) is authorized in both the EU and the US. It is not banned in Europe. A 2023 study tied high blood levels to cardiovascular risk, which is worth knowing but does not change its legal status.

E-number: E968CAS: 149-32-6 Also seen as: E968, meso-Erythritol, Sugar alcohol

What the EU does

Authorized, not banned. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol permitted in the EU as additive E968 under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, used as a sweetener and flavor enhancer across dozens of food categories. It was authorized in the EU in 2015 and is common in "sugar-free" and "keto" products because it delivers sweetness with almost no calories and little blood-sugar impact. EFSA has re-evaluated it as a food additive and confirmed its use.

One honest caveat belongs here. A 2023 study published in Nature Medicine linked high blood levels of erythritol to a greater risk of heart attack and stroke, and suggested it may make platelets more likely to clot. That study measured blood concentrations and does not by itself prove that eating erythritol causes harm; correlation and mechanism still need untangling, and the body also makes small amounts of erythritol on its own. EFSA and other bodies are watching the evidence. As of now the additive remains authorized in the EU; the research is a reason to be moderate, not proof of a ban.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (E968); EU authorization of erythritol 2015; EFSA re-evaluation

What the US does

Equally legal. Erythritol is generally recognized as safe in the US, where the FDA accepted GRAS notifications for it, and it is a mainstay of the American sugar-free aisle, often blended with stevia or monk fruit. Nothing about the 2023 study changed its US legal status either.

So the calibrated read is the same on both continents: erythritol is a legal, low-calorie sweetener with a long track record for digestive tolerance (better than many sugar alcohols) and one recent, genuinely interesting cardiovascular signal that scientists are still investigating. It is not banned anywhere we could find, and the smart response to the new research is moderation and attention, not panic.

Citation FDA GRAS notifications for erythritol; 2023 Nature Medicine study (Witkowski et al.)

Products that commonly contain it

Erythritol is a near-zero-calorie sugar alcohol. It is common in:

Sugar-free and "keto" sweeteners, often blended with stevia or monk fruit
Low-carb baked goods, chocolate, and ice cream
Diet and "zero sugar" drinks
Sugar-free gum, mints, and protein bars

What to look for on a label

How to spot it:

"Erythritol" or "E968" in the ingredient list
Branded sweetener blends may list it first, since it is the bulk of the volume
It is a sugar alcohol, but gentler on digestion than sorbitol or maltitol at typical amounts
If you are tracking the 2023 heart research, watch total daily intake across all "sugar-free" products, not just one

Or skip the squinting: paste the whole ingredient list into our checker and it flags everything in our database. Nothing you paste leaves your browser.

Frequently asked questions

Is erythritol banned in Europe?

No. It is authorized as sweetener E968 under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, in use since its 2015 EU authorization.

What did the 2023 erythritol study find?

A Nature Medicine study linked high blood levels of erythritol to greater cardiovascular risk and possible clotting effects. It showed an association and a candidate mechanism, not definitive proof that dietary erythritol causes harm.

Is erythritol legal in the US?

Yes. The FDA accepted GRAS notifications for erythritol, and it is widely used in sugar-free products.

Should I avoid erythritol after the study?

The honest answer is moderation, not panic. The research is a reason to watch total intake and follow the evolving evidence, not proof of a ban or acute danger.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed July 6, 2026 · How we assign statuses