Sucralose Degradation in Baked Goods

MONTREALThe use of sucralose in baked good should be approached with caution due to the potential to form toxic chloropropanols, according to new research from the University of McGill published in Food Chemistry.

Studies conducted on the thermal degradation of sucralose under dry heating conditions indicated that the glycosidic cleavage occurs through the formation of a galactopyranosyl cation contrary to sucrose where fructofuranosyl cation dictates the major breakdown products. Consequently, the major product detected was levoglucosenone and its precursor. Subsequent degradation of the two monosaccharide derivatives causes dehydrochlorination and dehydration reactions to produce furan-related products. In addition, pyrolysis of sucralose in the presence of glycerol generated significant amounts of 3-monochloropropanediol and 1,2- and 1,3-dichloropropanols based on the relative intensities of their chromatographic peaks which amounted to 15 percent of the total chromatographic peak area.