E953Stabiliser · Sweetener · Thickener
Isomalt
What the research shows
PrototypeConflicting
studies in people disagree or haven’t settled it
3 health findings on this page · See the findings
What research says
Studies in people
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Benefit
Gut bacteria balance3
In people, eating isomalt daily shifted gut bacteria toward more bifidobacteria compared with sucrose.
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Concern
Sweetness detection and stomach upset4
People and spider monkeys can taste isomalt, but it may cause stomach upset in large amounts.
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Benefit
Blood sugar control in diabetes5
In people with type 2 diabetes, eating isomalt in place of sugary foods improved blood sugar control over 12 weeks.
The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least two findings in people. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.
Regulatory status
Checked Sep 2026-
European Union Permitted EUR-Lex Reg. (EC) 1333/2008
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United Kingdom Permitted FSA retained EU law
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Canada Permitted Health Canada · Sweeteners
Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating. A country appears here once we've found this ingredient on its official list.
How we checkProducts
The 6 most-scanned of 375 products on Open Food Facts that list isomalt.
- SWEET & SALTY Popcorn PROPER CORN · 28 gram 1 additive
- Sweet & Salty Popcorn ProperCorn · 14 g 1 additive
- SWEET & SALTY POPCORN PROPER CORN · 84 g 1 additive
- Werthers Original Drops Sukkerfri 42g Conaxess trade norway · 42 g 1 additive
- Sweet & Salty Popcorn Proper · 30 g 1 additive
- Proper Corn Sweet Popcorn Proper Corn · 90 g 1 additive
References
- 1isomalt: ingredient taxonomy entry. Open Food Facts.
- 2Isomalt. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026.
- 3Gostner A, Blaut M, Schäffer V, et al. Effect of isomalt consumption on faecal microflora and colonic metabolism in healthy volunteers. Br J Nutr. 2006;95(1):40-50. doi:10.1079/bjn20051589
- 4Pereira S, Hernandez Salazar LT, Laska M. Taste detection threshold of human (Homo sapiens) subjects and taste preference threshold of black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) for the sugar substitute isomalt. Primates. 2021;62(2):389-394. doi:10.1007/s10329-020-00868-5
- 5Holub I, Gostner A, Hessdörfer S, et al. Improved metabolic control after 12-week dietary intervention with low glycaemic isomalt in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Horm Metab Res. 2009;41(12):886-92. doi:10.1055/s-0029-1234107