Dextrose
Sweetener
None/Unspecified
Description
Monosaccharide sweetener (glucose) used for sweetness and functional processing properties in foods.
Learn More Dossier
Dextrose is widely permitted as a conventional food ingredient and commonly contributes to "added sugars" in modern diets. The primary consumer-relevant concern is dietary overconsumption of added/free sugars (including dextrose when added), which is linked to dental caries and cardiometabolic risk, rather than classic additive toxicology. Concentrations in fast-food items are typically proprietary, so dextrose-specific exposure is hard to estimate.
Regulatory status
International
Allowed
Dextrose monohydrate and related sugars covered under international food standards sugar standards.
Basis: Other
Source
European Union
Allowed
Dextrose (glucose) treated as a conventional food ingredient; not assigned an E-number as a food additive.
Basis: Other
Source
United States
Allowed
Direct addition to foods as a nutritive sweetener and nutritive/flavoring adjunct under GMP conditions.
Basis: 21 CFR 184.1857
Source
United States
Allowed
Standards for dextrose monohydrate and dextrose anhydrous (composition/specs and permitted names).
Basis: 21 CFR 168.110; 21 CFR 168.111
Source
Registry review date: 2026-02-25
State policy updates
California (US)
Allowed
Not regulated by AB 418 (Chaptered 2023) substance list; dextrose remains permitted.
Source
Policy timeline
-
2023-10-07 — AB 418 chaptered (does not list dextrose)
(California (US))
Research Evidence Snapshot
Primary health concerns relate to overconsumption of added/free sugars (including dextrose when added), with dental caries and cardiometabolic outcomes most relevant. Evidence is stronger for sugars patterns than for dextrose-specific attribution due to exposure specificity limits.
Critical endpoints: Dental caries; excess energy intake/weight gain; cardiometabolic risk patterns linked to added/free sugars.
ACUTE SENSITIVITY HAZARD
Confidence: Medium
Low
Dextrose is a common dietary sugar; acute concerns are mainly glycemic excursions in susceptible individuals rather than classic allergen/toxicant sensitivity.
CHRONIC HEALTH EVIDENCE DIRECTION
Confidence: Medium
Likely harmful
Higher added/free sugars intake is linked to dental caries and cardiometabolic risk; dextrose contributes when used as an added sugar ingredient.
EVIDENCE STRENGTH
Confidence: Medium
Moderate
Strong evidence exists for free/added sugars patterns, but attribution specifically to dextrose (vs. total added sugars) is exposure-limited.
REGULATORY POSTURE (U.S.)
Confidence: High
Authorized/Permitted
Affirmed GRAS under 21 CFR 184.1857; standardized sweetener specs exist in 21 CFR Part 168.
REGULATORY DIVERGENCE
Confidence: High
Low
U.S. permits via GRAS affirmation; EU explicitly excludes monosaccharides/disaccharides used for sweetening from 'food additive' category.
HEALTH-BASED GUIDANCE AVAILABILITY
Confidence: Medium
Not applicable
No ADI/TDI/RfD is typically set for glucose/dextrose; guidance is via dietary sugars recommendations (WHO/EFSA) and U.S. label DV constructs for added sugars.
EXPOSURE CERTAINTY
Confidence: High
Low
Population added sugars intake is quantified, but dextrose-specific contribution and restaurant concentrations are not routinely available.
DATA RECENCY & STABILITY
Confidence: Medium
Evolving
Regulatory authorization is stable, but dietary guidance framing and policy attention to added sugars and UPFs continues to evolve.
Health guidance & exposure
- Guidance — Authority: Not specified
Agency exposure estimates
- CDC (NHANES 2017–2018 summary) — U.S. adults (20+), average added sugars intake (not dextrose-specific): 17 teaspoons/day
Restaurant formulations and ingredient concentrations are often proprietary; menu labeling does not generally provide ingredient-level disclosure needed to isolate dextrose.
Data gaps
- Dextrose-specific intake estimates (separable from total added sugars) in the U.S. population.
- Measured concentrations of dextrose across fast-food/restaurant items (buns, sauces, coatings, beverages).
- Routine public datasets linking chain restaurant items to ingredient-level sugars sources.
Found in these Restaurants
We found this ingredient in menu items at the following chains:
Methodology
We assign the Low / Limited Concern tier using published research, regulatory guidance, and PRūF’s additive taxonomy. Restaurant usage is derived from public ingredient disclosures and mapped to menu items where this additive appears.
Browse all restaurant audits
Related questions and pages
Regulatory context
Learn how this additive is treated across different regulatory frameworks and why mixture effects can matter.
Scientific Sources & References
About this Audit
Data sourced from publicly available nutrition guides and ingredient lists as of 2026-03-04. Percentages represent the frequency of an ingredient's appearance across standard menu items, not the quantity within a specific item. Regional availability and supplier formulations may vary.
PRūF is an independent educational tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any restaurant chain mentioned. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
