EFSA has updated the timeline for its scientific advice on dietary sugars due to the high volume of datasets and studies to be collected, analysed and assessed. EFSA has agreed a deadline extension with the five European countries that requested this scientific advice and aims to have a draft ready for public consultation in late 2020, with a view to finalising the work in 2021.

EFSA was asked to provide scientific advice on added sugars in 2017 and developed a scientific protocol – a detailed plan for the conduct of the assessment. Following a public consultation on the protocol in 2018, the breadth of studies to include in the assessment was expanded. Significant progress has been made, but numerous additional studies require assessing and some data owners are being contacted to request additional information.

EFSA’s nutrition experts will attempt to set a tolerable upper intake level for total/added/free sugars if the available data allow it. Otherwise, other values could be used to characterise the risk. This will help national authorities to establish recommendations on the consumption of dietary sugars and to plan food-based dietary guidelines.