INS 955 is the code for sucralose
Intense sweetener around 600 times as sweet as sugar, made by chlorinating sucrose. Common in sugar-free and diet products.
- What it does
- Sweetens it A sweetener
- Vegetarian?
- Vegetarian Made chemically
- In the Zabel score
- 6 of the 20 additive points Method 1.0.0
- In our catalogue
- 67 packs List it in their ingredients
Is INS 955 vegetarian?
INS 955 is made chemically, so it does not by itself make a food non-vegetarian. The green or brown mark on the pack is still the declaration to go by, because it covers every other ingredient too.
| Food category | Share | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Carbonated soft drinks | 53% | |
| Other beverages | 19% | |
| Energy and sports drinks | 7% | |
| Ice cream and frozen desserts | 5% | |
| Biscuits and cookies | 5% | |
| Everything else | 12% |
Counted from the 67 packs in Zabel's catalogue that list INS 955, 43 of which have a food category so far. Counted 4 Nov 2026.
What does the evidence say about INS 955?
We grade an additive by the evidence about it, not by whether it sounds like a chemical, and we make no claim about whether a pack complies with FSSAI rules.
JECFA has set an ADI of 15 mg/kg body weight. The WHO 2023 guideline advises against non-sugar sweeteners for weight control. Research on effects on gut bacteria and on compounds formed when it is heated above baking temperatures is ongoing and not settled.
Does Zabel mark INS 955 down?
Yes, by 6 points. The additives part of the score starts at 20, and each code takes off a fixed amount set by the strength of the evidence about it, not by the fact that it is an additive (method 1.0.0). Read the method.
Questions people search
What is INS 955?
INS 955 is the code for sucralose, a sweetener. Intense sweetener around 600 times as sweet as sugar, made by chlorinating sucrose. Common in sugar-free and diet products.
Is INS 955 vegetarian?
INS 955 is made chemically, so it does not by itself make a food non-vegetarian. The green or brown mark on the pack is still the declaration to go by, because it covers every other ingredient too.
What does the evidence say about INS 955?
JECFA has set an ADI of 15 mg/kg body weight. The WHO 2023 guideline advises against non-sugar sweeteners for weight control. Research on effects on gut bacteria and on compounds formed when it is heated above baking temperatures is ongoing and not settled.
Does Zabel mark INS 955 down?
Yes, by 6 points. The additives part of the score starts at 20, and each code takes off a fixed amount set by the strength of the evidence about it, not by the fact that it is an additive (method 1.0.0).
Sources
- 01 Evaluations of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) WHO / FAO, 2024
- 02 WHO guideline: Use of non-sugar sweeteners World Health Organization, 2023
- 03 Zabel catalogue - pack counts, food categories and the codes printed alongside 4 Nov 2026
Entry updated 19 Sep 2026 · Not reviewed by a dietitian yet · Report an error on this page
Point the camera at the pack.
Zabel reads every INS code on it, shows the score, and shows the working.