Sucralose is an artificial sweetener 600 times sweeter than table sugar. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its use in baked goods, beverages, chewing gum, gelatins and frozen dairy desserts. A recent study conducted by scientists at the University of North Carolina found that ingesting sucralose may cause the formation of a genotoxic chemical called sucralose-6-acetate. Genotoxicity refers to the breaking up of DNA, resulting in damage that could potentially contribute to health problems. Researchers also found trace amounts of this dangerous chemical in sucralose itself, even before it was consumed and metabolized. 

The study included eight projects that exposed human blood cells to sucralose-6-acetate, which researchers found induces the expression of genes associated with inflammation, oxidative stress and cancer. Exposure to certain concentrations of sucralose-6-acetate and sucralose also appeared to impair the gut lining, and sucralose-6-acetate inhibited certain enzymes, which could interfere with the body’s ability to metabolize medications.