Independent report

Free sugars in processed fruit and vegetables: SACN statement - summary

Published 10 November 2026

Introduction

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) 2015 Carbohydrates and health report concluded that higher consumption of sugars and foods and drinks containing sugars is associated with a greater risk of tooth decay and increased or excess energy (calorie) intake (and so greater risk of obesity).

It is important to distinguish between:

• sugars naturally present in foods and drinks
• sugars that have been added to foods and drinks

The report also found that there is no evidence that sugars naturally present in foods and drinks which are incorporated in the cellular structure of foods have adverse effects on health.

Sugars not incorporated into the cellular structure of foods and drinks are commonly referred to as ‘free sugars’. The current definition of free sugars for the UK (from 2018) includes all added sugars, plus sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and processed fruit and vegetables, such as juices and purées.

The UK government recommends that free sugars should provide on average no more than 5% of energy. However, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2019 to 2023 showed that children and adults in the UK currently consume around double this amount. A range of policies is aimed at improving dietary intakes, including reducing intake of free sugars, underpinned by the UK nutrient profiling model. These include:

• restricting advertising of less healthy food or drink on TV and online
• restricting promotions of products high in fat, sugar or salt by location and by volume price

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) asked SACN in June 2026 to provide advice on how the UK definition of free sugars applies to processed fruit and vegetables.

Approach to the assessment

For this position statement, SACN considered clarifications to the UK definition of free sugars.

SACN only considered issues relating to sugars naturally contained in or released from processed fruit and vegetables. They did not consider issues relating to other sugars, such as ‘added’ sugars.

SACN took account of:

• its previous deliberations on the definition of free sugars
• how the UK’s approach compares with the approach of non-UK expert bodies or countries
• data on UK dietary intakes of free sugars from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), with specific consideration of puréed, stewed and other processed fruit or vegetables
• information on policy implementation issues provided to SACN

Processed fruit and vegetables include stewed, canned, puréed and extruded products. Extruded fruit products are snacks shaped using heat and pressure to make bars, twists, belts, bites and cables. All cooking or processing methods used throughout this position statement are defined in the glossary in the full statement.

This statement does not change SACN’s existing recommendations for population intakes of free sugars, as set out in SACN’s ‘Carbohydrates and health’ report.

Definitions of free sugars

World Health Organization definition

All definitions of free sugars considered in this statement are derived from the World Health Organization (WHO) 2015 definition in Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children.

WHO defines free sugars as including:

monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods and beverages by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.

In the information note accompanying the guideline, WHO notes that:

Free sugars are different from intrinsic sugars [that is, sugars naturally present in the cellular structure] … in whole fresh fruits and vegetables. As no reported evidence links the consumption of intrinsic sugars to adverse health effects, recommendations [on free sugars] do not apply to the consumption of intrinsic sugars present in whole fresh fruits and vegetables.

Adopting the World Health Organization definition

A number of non-UK expert bodies and countries have now adopted the WHO 2015 definition of free sugars, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

The EFSA 2022 definition in Tolerable upper intake level for dietary sugars has simplified the language used by WHO. In place of “monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods and beverages by the manufacturer, cook or consumer” the EFSA definition simply uses the term “added sugars”.

As part of its 2015 ‘Carbohydrates and health’ report, SACN recommended that the concept of free sugars be adopted in the UK. The resulting 2018 definition of free sugars for the UK expands the WHO definition, including a broader range of foods, such as smoothies and purées, which contain free sugars due to processing or cooking fruit and vegetables.

Differences between definitions

The main differences between the WHO, UK and EFSA definitions are that:

• sugars naturally present in smoothies, purées, pastes, powders and extruded products, are included in the UK definition but are not mentioned in the WHO or EFSA definitions
• sugars naturally present in stewed, canned, frozen and dried fruit and vegetables are explicitly excluded from the UK definition, but not mentioned in the WHO or EFSA definitions
• while EFSA and WHO do not explicitly state how processed fruit and vegetables (other than juiced) should be treated for free sugars purposes, EFSA (2022) notes that “they do not include the sugars naturally found inside whole fruits, vegetables, or milk”

Sugars naturally present in juice and juice concentrates are included in all 3 of the free sugars definitions.

Free sugars definitions in dietary guidelines

Information on the use of free sugars definitions in dietary guidelines was identified for 9 other non-UK expert bodies or countries. Their definitions were based on the WHO or EFSA definitions. Many countries only use added sugars in their dietary guidelines.

Implementation considerations

Most product labelling does not include information on the free sugars content. Instead, it typically includes information on total or added sugars. This can make it difficult to implement policies that focus on free sugars.

Food processing breaks down the cellular structure of fruit and vegetables, releasing the naturally occurring intrinsic sugars to produce free sugars. However, there is a lack of evidence on the extent to which different processing methods affect the cellular structure of different fruit and vegetables, and the percentage of sugars released.

Calculating the amount of free sugars in a product requires an understanding of the ingredients, how they have been processed and whether any sugar has been added. Products that include fruit and vegetables that are not entirely whole, entirely juiced or entirely puréed present a particular challenge.

Free sugars intakes

Information on free and total sugars intakes was extracted from the NDNS 2019 to 2023 data set. NDNS reports free sugars intakes based on the 2018 definition of free sugars for the UK.

The ‘National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2019 to 2023’ indicates the following.

The average intake of free sugars in all age groups and across all levels of deprivation exceeds the recommendation that no more than 5% of energy should come from free sugars.

The average intake of free sugars as a percentage of energy was highest in the most deprived group (by index of multiple deprivation) in all age groups.

Free sugars are the main source of total sugars for children aged 4 years and older, and for adults aged 19 to 64 years, providing over half of sugars intake. Children aged 1.5 to 3 years obtain over a third of their total sugars intake from free sugars. The main sources of free sugars in the diet are:

• cereal products (in particular, biscuits, buns, cakes and pastries, and breakfast cereals)
• table sugar
• jams and sweet spreads
• confectionery and drinks (in particular, fruit juice and soft drinks)

Added sugars are the main source of free sugars in all age groups. They make up around three-quarters in children aged 10 years and under and around 80% for older children and adults.

Fruit provides 11% to 20% of total sugars intake for adults and children from 4 years, and 31% in children aged 1 to 3 years. Almost all of this is from fresh and frozen fruits, which have not been cooked or otherwise processed.

Purées and stewed fruit contribute small amounts to total sugars intake. In older children and adults, fruit purées provided around 2% of free sugars intake and vegetable purées and vegetable juices provided 3 to 5%. In the youngest age group (1.5 to 3 years), the contributions were higher: 5% from fruit purée and 7% from vegetable purées and vegetable juices.

Analysis by ethnicity is not possible for this data set due to the survey sample size.

Limitations

This was a rapid piece of work and evidence was not systematically searched.

Definitions of free sugars used by non-UK expert bodies or countries were mostly found on their websites. It is possible that some relevant sources of information may not have been included.

Interpretation of definitions used by non-UK expert bodies or countries mostly relied on published information. The text was checked for accuracy by WHO, EFSA and the Pan American Health Organization, but not by other non-UK expert bodies.

There is a lack of evidence on the effect of different processing methods on the cellular structure of different fruit and vegetables and the implications for the release of free sugars. SACN had to draw assumptions and make pragmatic decisions.

The NDNS information considered was limited to analysis on pre-existing subcategories. It was not possible to consider the NDNS data by ethnicity due to the survey sample size.

There may be cooking or processing terms that have not been considered.

Discussion

While processed fruit and vegetables (such as stewed fruit or purées) are currently a minor source of free sugars in people’s diets in the UK, it is important to provide consistency and clarity in the definition of free sugars.

SACN’s approach to defining free sugars

SACN members supported SACN’s previous approach to the definition of free sugars, as set out in:

• the June 2016 SACN meeting (minutes available through the SACN webpage
• SACN’s ‘Carbohydrates and health’ report
• the definition of free sugars for the UK

In particular, SACN agreed that:

• products subject to processes that break down the cellular structure should be considered as containing free sugars
• the definition should apply equally to all scenarios, for example home cooking and manufactured products - although it recognises that intensive, industrial processes may be more likely to produce free sugars than less intensive home cooking
• the definition should apply to both fruit and vegetables (while recognising that vegetables naturally contain lower levels of sugar)

SACN made pragmatic decisions about whether processes are likely to result in a fruit or vegetable remaining largely intact as outlined by groups 1 and 2 below. Where fruit and vegetables are no longer intact, free sugars are likely to be released.

Deliberations and recommendations by non-UK expert bodies or countries provided limited additional evidence or information. However, considering whether fruit and vegetables remain recognisably intact is consistent with the overarching definitions used by WHO and EFSA.

How different processes affect free sugars

Chopping, slicing, dicing and grating

Simple processes such as chopping, slicing, dicing and grating fruits and vegetables result in minimal disruption to the cellular structure. So, the sugars in the fruit and vegetables should not be considered free sugars.

If fruit or vegetables are very finely chopped, it may result in them becoming a purée or paste. Where this is the case, all of the sugars in the fruit or vegetable should be considered free sugars.

Stewing

Stewing is a process that can result in a range of effects. The type of fruit or vegetable, the extent of cooking and any other processes used will affect whether the cellular structure remains intact. As such:

• stewed fruit or vegetables that remain intact should be considered as containing no or minimal free sugars, so intact chopped, sliced or diced vegetables in a casserole or stew would not be considered as containing free sugars
• stewed fruit or vegetables that break down, and where the fruit or vegetable is no longer intact, are considered as containing free sugars

Canning, freezing and other cooking methods

For canning, freezing and specific cooking methods (such as making a soup), the type of processing and the state of the final product should be considered. The free sugars content of canned or frozen fruit will be determined by whether the fruit within the can or frozen product is chopped or puréed.

Home cooking compared with industrial processing

The intensity or extent of cooking processes will affect the disruption to the cellular structure of fruit and vegetables. Home cooking may be less likely to result in the release of free sugars than intensive, industrial processing. However, SACN has assumed that the definitions continue to apply to all settings.

Powders, freeze dried and dehydrated products

Powders, freeze dried products and fully dehydrated products are considered as containing free sugars as the cellular structure is unlikely to have remained intact.

Conclusions

SACN is providing practical advice on this issue at the request of DHSC, while recognising that final policy implementation decisions remain with the UK government.

Dietary recommendations

Average intakes for all population groups in the UK fail to meet dietary recommendations for free sugars and fruit and vegetables. Improving population compliance with these recommendations would have important and wide-ranging health benefits. So, SACN reiterates its existing recommendations for children and adults to consume:

• no more than 5% of daily energy intake from free sugars
• at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day

The main source of free sugars in the UK diet is added sugars. While processed fruit and vegetables (such as purées) are currently a minor source of free sugars, it is important to provide consistency and clarity in the definition.

Grouping processes that affect free sugars

SACN has made pragmatic conclusions on processes resulting in free sugars based on:

• its previous deliberations on this issue
• reflections on existing UK advice and that of non-UK expert bodies
• information on UK dietary intake
• policy implementation issues brought to its attention

SACN concludes that processes should be split into the following 2 groups.

Group 1 - processes resulting in free sugars. All the naturally occurring sugars in products that have undergone these processes should be considered free sugars. This is because the cellular structure will no longer be intact.

Group 2 - processes not resulting in free sugars. None of the naturally occurring sugars in products that have undergone these processes should be considered free sugars. This is because there will be no or minimal effect on the cellular structure.

Group 1: processes that result in free sugars

Group 1 processes resulting in free sugars include:

• liquidising, blending, pulping, sieving (to create, for example, juices, smoothies, pastes and purées) and instances of stewing where the fruit or vegetable is no longer intact (such as apples and tomatoes)
• processes that produce concentrates, extruded products, powders, freeze dried products and fully dehydrated products
• other processes that result in the cellular structure no longer being intact, releasing free sugars - this includes mashing, pressing and crushing

Group 2: processes that do not result in free sugars

Group 2 processes not resulting in free sugars include:

• simple processes where the cellular structure remains largely intact, such as chopping, slicing, dicing and grating
• drying, when the cellular structure remains largely intact (for example, dried apricots or raisins)

The processes listed in groups 1 and 2 are not intended to be exhaustive.

What this means for the definition of free sugars

The definition of free sugars now includes:

• the terms ‘sieved’, ‘mashed’, ‘crushed’ and ‘pressed’, and any other processes that result in the cellular structure no longer being intact
• powders, freeze dried products and fully dehydrated products where the fruit or vegetables are no longer intact

The definition of free sugars now excludes the terms ‘chopped’, ‘sliced’, ‘diced’ and ‘grated’.

For stewing, stewed fruit or vegetables that are no longer intact are considered as containing free sugars.

For canned and frozen foods, free sugars content depends on other processes, for example whether the food has been chopped or puréed.

These groupings mean that processes that were already included in the 2018 definition of free sugars for the UK remain as they are. The groupings proposed by SACN clarify the existing definition rather than introducing a substantive change.

Where the cellular structure is likely to be damaged and the fruit or vegetable is no longer intact, it should be assumed that all the sugars within a fruit or vegetable are defined as free sugars. Any resulting overestimation in UK population intakes of free sugars as a result of these clarifications to the definition is likely to be minimal.

Next steps

It will be important to monitor the effect of any changes in the definition and associated policies on estimated intakes of free sugars and consumption of fruit and vegetables.

SACN has made research recommendations to address important gaps in the evidence. See the full position statement for more details.

SACN would be content to reconsider this issue if further evidence comes to light that challenges the conclusions of this position statement.