My diet:

Invert sugar

No E-numberSweetenersOrigin: Plant
Get a personal answer

Pick your family’s diets in the bar above.

Every diet

VeganYes

Invert sugar is split sucrose. The bone-char question, if any, sits on the cane sugar that was split.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalDepends

If the starting cane sugar was filtered on bone char, a few certifiers still object.

KosherYes
KetoNo

Invert sugar is glucose plus fructose.

Low-FODMAPDepends

Half of a fully inverted syrup is fructose, so a large serving is a FODMAP dose.

The short answer
Invert sugar is table sugar split into glucose and fructose. The FDA lists it as GRAS. It stays moist in candy, and it is still sugar.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesSweeteners
Glycemic index60
Daily limitNot set
Also calledInvert sugar, Invert syrup

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDAApproved
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

The FDA affirms invert sugar as GRAS with no cap beyond good manufacturing practice (21 CFR 184.1859). Europe and Canada treat it as a sugar syrup, not as an E-number. Fully inverted syrup is roughly half glucose and half fructose, which is close to what honey is, without the bees.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Invert syrup resists crystallization, so candies and fondant stay smooth. Bakers know the same trick when they heat sugar with a little acid.

Where it comes from: Invert sugar is sucrose that has been split, with acid or enzymes, into glucose and fructose. The FDA describes it as a solution of inverted or partly inverted refined sucrose, and gives the mixture the CAS number 8013-17-0.

Why it’s in food

  • Keeps candy and fondant from turning grainy
  • Holds moisture in cakes
  • Sweetens sodas and sorbet
  • Feeds browning

Often found in

Soft candy and fondantCommercial cakesSorbetSoda syrupsIce creamSome jams

Also listed as: Invert sugar, Invert syrup, Inverted sugar syrup, Partly inverted sugar

Health & gut impact

What the split changesUnder study

Splitting sucrose makes glucose and fructose. The FDA's identity for invert sugar is that solution, including partly inverted syrups.

21 CFR 184.1859

CaloriesConcern

Invert sugar supplies the same kind of calories as the sucrose it came from. The split changes texture, not the fact that it is sugar.

21 CFR 184.1859

What can I use instead?

Table sugar

Ratio: Add a pinch of acid if you need the anti-grain effect

Best for: Home candy

Honey

Ratio: Use a vegan check first

Best for: A natural glucose-fructose syrup

Related

More sweeteners:

Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) E950Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K, E950) is a zero-calorie sweetener approved in the US, EU and Canada. EFSA re-checked it in 2025 and raised its daily limit. It's usually paired with sucralose or aspartame to hide a slightly bitter aftertaste.Use in moderationAdvantame E969Advantame (E969) is an extremely intense sweetener related to aspartame. Regulators approve it, and the amount in a food is tiny next to the daily limit. It does not carry aspartame's phenylalanine warning at normal use.Generally safeAgave syrup (Agave nectar)Agave syrup is a plant sweetener that is mostly fructose. It barely moves blood sugar, and it is still sugar: skip it on keto and in a low-FODMAP elimination.Use in moderationAlluloseAllulose is a "rare sugar" that tastes like sugar but has almost no calories and doesn't raise blood sugar. It's keto-friendly and browns like real sugar in baking.Generally safe

Common questions

Is invert sugar the same as high-fructose corn syrup?

No. Invert sugar starts from sucrose. High-fructose corn syrup starts from corn starch.

Why do candies use invert sugar?

Glucose and fructose crystallize less readily than sucrose, so the piece stays smooth.

Is Invert sugar safe?

Use in moderation (54/100). The FDA affirms invert sugar as GRAS with no cap beyond good manufacturing practice (21 CFR 184.1859). Europe and Canada treat it as a sugar syrup, not as an E-number. Fully inverted syrup is roughly half glucose and half fructose, which is close to what honey is, without the bees.

Is Invert sugar vegan?

Yes. Invert sugar is split sucrose. The bone-char question, if any, sits on the cane sugar that was split.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • 21 CFR 184.1859 (US FDA)
  • 21 CFR 184.1859

CAS 8013-17-0