Back to catalogSafety
E963SweetenerLow concern
Tagatose
In plain words
The short version
A naturally occurring rare sugar — 92% as sweet as sucrose, 1.5 kcal/g, and low-glycemic.
Why it's green
It's widely considered safe at the amounts used in food, so we mark it green. The Safety section below has the details.
Safety profile
ADI not specified — considered safe. About 80% reaches the colon undigested, where it ferments to short-chain fatty acids; producing soluble-fiber-like effects (and laxative effects at higher single doses, typically >40 g).
The detail
An epimer of fructose found naturally in trace amounts in dairy and some fruits. Industrial production by enzymatic isomerization of galactose (itself from lactose hydrolysis). Commercialized in the 2000s as a low-calorie bulk sweetener.
About 92% the sweetness of sucrose with similar mouthfeel — used in sugar-free chocolates (where it provides browning and bulk that aspartame or sucralose cannot), diabetic foods, yogurts, and low-calorie beverages. Also a low-glycemic prebiotic — much of an ingested dose ferments in the colon.
White crystalline powder, similar to sucrose in handling. Maillard-browns on heating like other sugars. Slightly slower crystallization than sucrose, useful in some confectionery.
Permitted in the EU, US (FDA GRAS), and most jurisdictions.
Sources
- WHO JECFA database — D-Tagatose — WHO / FAO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives, 2004. Safety: ADI 'not specified'
- FDA GRAS Notice Inventory — GRN No. 78: D-Tagatose (2001) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2001. Regulation: US GRAS notice, FDA 'no questions'
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470 establishing the Union list of novel foods — Publications Office of the EU (Official Journal L 351), 2017. Regulation: EU authorisation as a novel food, with laxative-effect labelling
Checked against these sources on .
Educational information only. Not medical, dietary or veterinary advice. Spotted an error? Tell us.