Sweeteners

Sweeteners are substances which are used to add a sweet taste to another substance. Sweeteners can be divided into natural and artificial sweeteners, but in general, it is accepted that the term sweetener must be used officially for both groups. This article is only deals with artificial sweeteners.

Artificial Sweeteners

• Also referred to as additives
• The relative sweetness of a given sweetener is measured is relation to sucrose, which has a relative value of one
• Originally made as a cheap alternative to sugar, artificial sweeteners later became an alternative used by diabetics
• It is recommended for children to consume foods with low amounts of sweeteners
• For health and safety reasons, it is advised not to buy suspicously cheap products, as products that are contain sweeteners beyond the appropriate limits may pose a considerable risk

Acesulfame Potassium

• E950
• A sweetener that is quickly absorbed and completely excreted in the urine without any change
• Has no caloric value
• As bacteria cannot metabolize it, this sweetener does not cause damage to the teeth
• Does not affect insulin secretion (same as fructose)
• Does not cause or induce any allergic reactions
• No study has managed to show any toxic effect on human health
• Recommended daily dose is between 0-15 mg/kg of bodyweight

Acesulfame K molecule

Aspartame

Aspartame molecule

• E951
• I-Phenylalanine (unsuitable for patients with phenylketonuria)
• The most tested ingredient
• Broken down in the body into Amino acids and methanol
• Amino acids from the broken down aspartame are usually metabolized and excreted in the urine
  • Aspartic acid (consists of 40% of the aspartame molecule)→ Absorbed in the intestine and plays an important role in mitochondrial nitrogen metabolism
• Methanol → Toxic level is around 200-500 mg/kg
  • Not broken down by bacteria of the mouth

Safety

• The most tested ingredient

All studies claiming that aspartame has an effect on weight gain, the development of epilepsy or cancer are unscientific and not based in truth. Even at an amount of 400 mg/kg of human weight, no adverse effects on the organism were observed.

• The FDA has established a sufficient dose of 50 mg/kg of body weight
• Maximum permitted doses may vary from country to country

Neotame

Neotame molecule

• E961
• Derivative of Aspartame
• 8000x sweeter than sucrose
• Has a purely sweet taste without any bitter ingredients
• Slower effect than aspartame
• Non-cariogenic
• Does not increase glycemia in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes
• Used in sweetened beverages (can appear in combination with glucose syrup) and chewing gum
• For normal use, a dose of 0.05mg/kg of body weight is estimated, although Carcinogenicity and toxicity have not been observed in values up to 800mg/kg in dogs.
• Demonstrated no mutagenic properties
• Is not allowed for use in the Czech Republic

Neotame breaks down in the body into compounds of De-esterified neonatame and methanol. However, these are very small doses and are considered of negligible effect to an organism.

Saccharin

Sodium saccharin molecule

• E954

The development of artificial sweeteners occurred in the 1950s and 1960s in America, where the demand for non-caloric sweeteners increased. Saccharin and cyclamates were among the first to meet the conditions for sensory and technical properties. Most of them had a metallic aftertaste, and in order to be usable in food, those sweeteners must be well soluble.

• The first artificially synthesized sweetener ever (discovered in 1879)
• Bitter aftertaste
• 500x sweeter than sucrose
• Not very soluble in water, it is more usable in the form of salts, most often sodium salts

Physiological effects

Saccharine is absorbed in the small intestine, with 95% is absorbed into the blood. Distribution of the molecules to organs is small (examples including kidneys, bladder), thus most of the substance remains in circulation. Saccharine is not metabolized nor does it bind to the DNA molecule in any way. The absence of this phenomenon is evidence of non-carcinogenic properties.

Cyclamates

Sodium cyclamate molecule

• Cyclohexylsulfamates
• Used in food in the form of salts (K, Na)
• Colorless and odorless
• Antibacterial effects are used in combination with silver ions for inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
• Well tolerated due to their close similarity in taste to sucrose
• Often used in combination with other artificial sweeteners (saccharin, acesulfame K) because they supress the bitter taste and because of the relatively low sweetness of cyclamates

Physiological effects

Cyclamates are slowly and incompletely absorbed by the small intestine (about 37%), but the product of cyclohexylamine metabolism is completely absorbed and, unlike cyclamates, reaches the organs. Both cyclamates and cyclohexylamine are excreted unchanged in the urine.

• Cyklohexylamine is a product of cyclamate metabolism that is able to form about 25% of the population

Safety

The FDA has indicated cyclamate salts as potential bladder carcinogens. On the other hand, since 1970, many studies conducted on various animals have not shown any negative effects on the organism. For this reason, they are considered safe. Studies have also been conducted regarding the risks of cyclohexylamine. Sympathomimetic effects (mainly increase in blood pressure) on the cardiovascular system were only observed in rats.

• Its use is permitted in the Czech Republic

Sorbitol

A molecule of D-glucitol, also known as Sorbitol

• Turns into fructose in the body
• Produced by reduction of Glucose
• Daily consumption of more than 20g can have a Laxitive effect
• E =10 kJ/g

Links

Related articles

• Sugar
• Milk technology (1.LF UK, NT)

References

• KADLEC, Pavel. Technologie sacharidů. 1. edition. Vysoká škola chemicko-technologická, 2000. 0 pp. ISBN 80-7080-400-9.

• KADLEC, Pavel – MELZOCH, Karel. Co byste měli vědět o výrobě potravin? :  technologie potravin. 1. edition. Key Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-80-7418-051-4.

• DOSTÁLOVÁ, Jana – KADLEC, Pavel. Potravinářské zbožíznalství :  technologie potravin. 1. edition. Key Publishing, 2014. 0 pp. ISBN 978-80-7418-208-2.

• O’DONNELL, Kay. Sweeteners and sugar alternatives in food technology [elektronický zdroj]. 2. edition. Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 0 pp. ISBN 978-0-470-65968-7.

Category: Biochemistry Category: Nutritional therapy Category: Dentistry