Artificial Sweeteners as a Cause of Obesity: Weight Gain Mechanisms and Current Evidence

The obesity epidemic gathers growing media attention recently, as overweight and obesity’s prevalence keeps rising. This comes along with an increase in the intake of artificial sweeteners in food products. A causal relationship between the consumption of sweeteners and obesity is so far not clear in the medical literature. This paper describes the development of artificial sweeteners in a historical context. It collects epidemiological and experimental evidence that possibly relates the use of artificial sweeteners with weight gain. Finally, these effects are explained based on the neuroscience of food reward, the possible effects of glucose on the metabolism and the association between sweeteners and gut microbiota.

Using Response Surface Methodology and High-Intensity Sweeteners’ Positive Synergy to Optimize Peach Nectar Acceptability

Combining the high-intensity sweeteners’ positive synergy with response surface methodology (RSM), it is possible to optimize food and beverage products liking, masking undesired sensory attributes and reducing costs and consumers’ additives intake (up to 50%). A RSM based on a five-level, two variable central composite rotatable designs (CCRD) was applied, varying aspartame and acesulfame-K concentrations in order to optimize consumers’ sensory liking (n = 118) for peach nectar in terms of appearance, aroma, flavor, and overall liking. Statistically valid models were found for flavor and overall liking attributes and highest liking values were found for samples combining the two sweeteners (therefore overcoming acesulfame-K’s sensory limitations) in lower concentrations, confirming the synergetic effect and allowing cost reduction and less additives intake, without losing sensory quality.

Edema, Enigma: 11 B-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 Inhibition by Sweetener “Stevia”

Intrduction: Edema, Hypertension and Hypokalemia occur with inhibition of 11 B-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 (11B-HSD2) by chronic Licorice ingestion. However, a similar presentation following a chronic use of another commonly used sweetener “Stevia” is not reported. Objective: To document a first case report of a subject presenting with Edema, Prehypertension and Hypokalemia induced by 11B-HSD2 inhibition induced by chronic ingestion of sweetener stevia. Case Report: 32 year old Caucasian woman presented with generalized edema (feet, hands and face) of over 6 months. She was noted to also manifest Prehypertension (138/88 mmHg) and Hypokalemia (3.4 mM/l). Laboratory tests revealed decline in serum aldosterone and plasma renin activity, an increase in plasma cortisol/cortisone ratio. On persistent interrogation, patient admitted to daily consumption of sweetener stevia for over 9 months. All the presenting manifestations resolved with normalization of the laboratory tests on withdrawal of stevia. Conclusion: This case report indicates that chronic ingestion of sweetener stevia may induce edema, hypertension and hypokalemia via reduced conversion of cortisol into cortisone by inhibition of 11 B-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2.

Commercial Artificial Sweeteners Might Affect Pregnant and Nursing Mice Mammary Gland. A Histological Study

The use of artificial sweeteners as non-nutritive food additive is becoming very common nowadays. The aim of this research was to study the effect of commercial artificial sweeteners consumption on the adult mouse mammary gland in pregnancy (18-day pregnancy) and 3 weeks nursing. A commercial artificial sweetener solution was given to pregnant mice of treated groups 50 mg/kg body weight, from day one of pregnancy till the end of 3 weeks nursing. Controls were given distilled water. The histological studies of the mammary gland of treated animals showed some changes. In treated 18-day pregnant mothers;the amount of adipose cells seemed to increase and the amount of lipid droplets within the alveoli seemed to increase compared to the controls. Also alveoli in the treated mammary gland sections appeared to be larger and less in number compared to the controls. In 3 weeks treated nursing mothers the amount of milk and lipid droplets in the alveoli decreased compared to the controls. The mammary gland circumference of treated 18-day pregnant mothers was significantly smaller compared to the controls, while it was significantly larger in 3 weeks treated nursing mothers compared to the controls. These results show that artificial sweeteners disturbed the arrangement of the histological structure in the mammary gland of pregnant and nursing mice. Awareness should be raised to restrict the use of artificial sweeteners to people with diabetes or who are in medical need.

Thermal Studies of Commercial Low Calorie Sweeteners

This paper presents the thermal analysis of artificial sweeteners, and natural sugar substitutes. Thermal analysis was done on commercial compositions of sweeteners using simultaneous DSC/TGA (SDT). Heat flow, and mass vs. temperature and time thermograms, along with DSC peak enthalpies and transition temperatures are reported. A number of the sweeteners were found to undergo transitions and reactions before or at 190°C (375°F, normal baking temperatures) and all dextrose containing sweeteners show an endothermic peak around 80°C due to the liberation of bound water molecules. The major components of sweeteners studied were found to be generally thermostable at or below 100°C.

May artificial sweeteners not sugar be the culprit of dramatic increase of inflammatory bowel disease in China？

As we know, inflammatory bowel disease （IBD） is ,typically used as a general term for ulcerative colitis （UC） and Crohn＇s disease （CD）, two highly related debilitating diseases of the digestive tract with similar clinical, pathological, and epidemiological features. Both UC and CD are most prevalent in young adults and still incurable. The patients usually depend on constant heavy medication and frequently need multiple devastating surgeries such as bowel resection, proctocolectomy, ileostomy, and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.

Promotional Sweeteners and Grab-Bags

Competition for the consumer's buck in China is no longer a joke. State-owned industries that once monopolized everyday goods have pretty much gone the way of the dinosaurs. In short, you've got everything from Chinese and foreign mega-chains right down to local mom-and-pop shops-and they've all

Comparative effects of xylitol and erythritol on modulating blood glucose;inducing insulin secretion;reducing dyslipidemia and redox imbalance in a type 2 diabetes rat model

Xylitol and erythritol have been reported in numerous previous and recent studies as potential antidiabetic sweeteners,however,it is not certain which one is most effective in this regard.In the present study,the effects of xylitol and erythritol were comparatively investigated on blood glucose,insulin level,dyslipidemia,pancreatic islet morphology andβ-cell function,and redox imbalance in a type 2 diabetes(T2D)model of rats.Seven-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 8 groups:Normal Control(NC),Diabetic Control(DC),Diabetic Xylitol 5%(DX5),Diabetic Xylitol 10%(DX10),Diabetic Xylitol 20%(DX20),Diabetic Erythritol 5%(DE5),Diabetic Erythritol 10%(DE10),and Diabetic Erythritol 20%(DE20).T2D was induced in the diabetic groups initially by feeding 10%fructose solution to induce insulin resistance followed by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(40 mg/kg body weight)dissolved in citrate buffer(pH 4.5)to induce partial pancreaticβ-cells dysfunctions.The animals in NC group were fed with normal drinking water and injected with citrate buffer only.After the confi rmation of diabetes,the xylitol and erythritol with above-mentioned concentrations were supplied to the respective animal groups when the animals in NC and DC groups were supplied with normal drinking water.After 8 weeks intervention period,the body weight,fl uid and water intake,blood glucose,serum alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,CK-MB and creatinine were signifi cantly decreased,while the serum insulin level,serum lipids,glucose tolerance ability,pancreatic islet morphology andβ-cell function,pancreatic and serum redox imbalance were improved in the most xylitol and erythritol fed groups compared to the DC group,when effects were better for xylitol compared to erythritol.The data of this study suggests that xylitol has better antioxidant and antidiabetic effects compared to erythritol.Therefore,xylitol can be used as a preferrable dietary anti-diabetic sweetener or supplement over erythritol for the management of diabetes and its associated complications.

Metabolic Effect of Dietary Erythritol Intake on Escherichia coli

Artificial sweeteners are man-made substitutes for diet that needs low sugars or caloric intake. Recent studies have shown that AS consumption is possibly associated with metabolic disturbances and intestinal flora disturbances. Erythritol is a kind of 4-carbon sugar substitute in the form of sugar alcohol, which may contribute to the prevention of gingivitis by inhibit the biofilm formation of oral bacteria. Despite these studies, the data on how erythritol affects commensal flora causing pathogenicity to remain limited. In this study, microbiota (Escherichia coli) models were used to investigate the effects of different concentration of erythritol on the metabolism of bacteria, especially on Escherichia coli’s growth, transformation efficiency and hemolytic activity. The results showed that sweeteners decreased the bacteria’s ability to normally grow in higher concentration, and form biofilms to varying degrees. And the addition of erythritol in low concentration may have an effect of promote the growth of Escherichia coli. Habitual consumption of artificial sweeteners in the diet continues to increase was associated with the maintenance of micro-ecological equilibrium in gut.

PHOTONIC CRYSTAL WAVEGUIDE BIOSENSOR

The hollow core photonic crystal waveguide biosensor is designed and described.The biosensor was tested in experiments for artificial sweetener identifcation in drinks.The photonic crystal waveguide biosensor has a high sensitivity to the optical properties of liquids flling up the hollow core.The compactness,good integration ability to different optical systems and compatibility for use in industrial settings make such biosensor very promnising for v arious biomedical applicat ions.

甜菊甙类的提取和利用

甜菊甙类是原产于南美巴拉圭的菊科多年生草本植物——甜菊(Stevia rebaudianaBertoni)的茎叶中所含的具甜味的一类成分,其主要成分为甜菊甙(stevioside)和莱鲍迪甙 A(rebaudioside A)。甜菊在原产地称为甜草,作甜味料使用。

Molecular Regulation of the Metabolic Pathways of the Medicinal Plants: <i>Phyla dulcis</i>

Phyla (Lippia) dulcis contains hernundulcin sesquiterpene zero-caloric sweetener that is about a thousand times sweeter than sucrose, and also bitter constituents including camphor and limonene. There is yet no simple method to remove the undesirable constituents. The yield of sweetener hernundulcin is very low, and there is no simple method to maximize its composition. The aim of the project was to characterize the mRNA targets that regulate the primary and terpenoid metabolic enzymes of P. dulcis. Restriction fragment differential display polymerase chain reaction of P. dulcis glutamate dehydrogenase-synthesized RNA showed that many mRNAs encoding β-caryophyllene, (+)-epi-α-bisabolol, bicyclogermacrene, bifunctional sesquiterpene, and geraniol synthases shared sequence homologies with ribulose-1,5-bisphophatase carboxylase, granule-bound starch synthase, pyruvate kinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase. Sequence similarities between mRNAs encoding primary metabolic enzymes and terpene synthases suggested that photosynthesis could regulate terpenoid metabolism in order to increase the yield of sweetener hernundulcin.

Metal Salts Assisted Enzyme-Based Extraction of Stevioside from the Leaves of <i>Stevia rebaudiana</i>Bertoni

Stevioside, extracted from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, is a natural, high intensity, lowcaloric sweetener with wide therapeutic activities. Conventional stevioside extraction methodologies involve the use of non-green solvents, supercritical fluids, microwaves, etc., however, all these processes are expensive, time-consuming and eco-unfriendly. Therefore an alternative process is desired for the isolation of stevioside. In this study, a novel enzyme-mediated extraction (EME) method has been developed. The dry stevia leaves were pre-treated with hydrolytic enzymes aided by transition metal salts (FeCl3). This was followed by pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) to release stevioside. The crude extract was purified and clarified through multi-stage membrane filtration. The results confirm that metal salt-assisted cellulase pre-treatment enhanced the yield of stevioside to 72%, with 98% purity, which was higher in comparison to existing methods. Thus, the methodology developed establishes a simple, “green”, enzyme-mediated process for the efficient isolation of stevioside under economical and eco-friendly conditions.

Chocolate Milk with Sucrose and Stevia Preference by Pre- and Post-Menopausal Women

The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the preference of chocolate milk products sweetened with sucrose and stevia by pre- and post-menopausal women and to examine their concerns about bone health. Women panelists were divided into two groups according to age: pre- menopausal (from 18 to 47 years old) and post-menopausal (over 48 years old) and answered the frequency of white and chocolate milk consumption during a week and their concerns about bone health. For preference, five kinds of chocolate milk were used: 1) Non Sucrose Added [NSA] with stevia and NutraFlora?, 2) NSA with stevia, 3) with sucrose and stevia, 4) with sucrose, stevia, and NutraFlora?, and 5) control with sucrose. The results showed that both groups (pre- and post- menopausal women) prefer chocolate milk to white milk. Pre-menopausal women prefer the chocolate milk with NSA stevia and NutraFlora?, while post-menopausal women prefer the chocolate milk NSA with stevia without NutraFlora?. For comparisons between chocolate milk with sucrose and stevia vs. chocolate milk with sucrose and stevia and NutraFlora? and chocolate milk with sucrose vs. chocolate milk with sucrose and stevia, there were no visible differences between pre- and post-menopausal women. Both groups were concerned about bone health, fiber, and calories, and their concerns about which influenced their milk choices. Pre-menopausal women showed a greater positive impact on milk choice when being informed the amount of fibers in the sample than post-menopausal women. Therefore, this study suggests that milk sweetened with stevia needs to be produced as calcium resources without increasing calories.

Soft drinks consumption and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) is a common clinical condition which is associated with metabolic syndrome in 70% of cases.Inappropriate dietary fat intake,excessive intake of soft drinks,insulin resistance and increased oxidative stress combine to increase free fatty acid delivery to the liver,and increased hepatic triglyceride accumulation contributes to fatty liver.Regular soft drinks have high fructose corn syrup which contains basic sugar building blocks,fructose 55% and glucose 45%.Soft drinks are the leading source of added sugar worldwide,and have been linked to obesity,diabetes,and metabolic syndrome.The consumption of soft drinks can increase the prevalence of NAFLD independently of metabolic syndrome.During regular soft drinks consumption,fat accumulates in the liver by the primary effect of fructose which increases lipogenesis,and in the case of diet soft drinks,by the additional contribution of aspartame sweetener and caramel colorant which are rich in advanced glycation end products that potentially increase insulin resistance and inflammation.This review emphasizes some hard facts about soft drinks,reviews fructose metabolism,and explains how fructose contributes to the development of obesity,diabetes,metabolic syndrome,and NAFLD.

sweetening的最新含义

当今大量新的词汇不断涌现,而赋予现有词汇全新含义则是科技英语的特色之一。如 sweetening 一词在《朗曼现代英语词典》中的释义是:any substance which makes foodsweeter(使食物更甜的东西),其动词原形 sweeten 在《英汉科技词典》中的释义有:加糖,变甜;使悦耳,缓和;使清洁,去臭;脱硫。而近年来 sweetening

Sweetening the Pot

AFTER a three-decade surge of impressivegrowth, foreign direct investment （FDI） in China has showed definite signs of slowing down. Experts observe that this can be attributed to the profound changes that have taken place in the global industria chain along with the challenge of China losing its competitive edge in terms of labor, land and natural resources.

Naringin,neohesperidin and their corresponding dihydrochalcones as bioactive substances:a symphony of bitter–sweet

Bitter is generally undesirable,although it is an important part of flavor.Bitter substances exhibit diverse health-promoting activities,which is in line with the famous Chinese saying‘a good medicine tastes bitter’.Naringin(NAG)and neohesperidin(NHP),two important flavanones that give bitterness to citrus fruits,show various pharmacological activities.Interestingly,their hydrogenation products,i.e.naringin dihydrochalcone(NDC)and neohesperidin dihydrochalcone(NHDC),undergo a dramatic taste shift from bitter to intensely sweet,which can be 300 and 1000 times sweeter than sucrose,respectively.Such sweeteners not only provide a sweet taste without the burden of increased calorie intake and glycemia,but also may exert multiple bioactivities.This review summarizes common dietary bitter and sweet compounds with sensory scores.Taste conversions induced by structural changes from bitter NAG and NHP to sweet NDC and NHDC are particularly discussed.In addition,the taste-sensing mechanisms,pharmacological characteristics,dietary distribution,synthesis,and food industry applications of these bitter–sweet interchangeable compounds are outlined.In conclusion,the bitter NAG and NHP are promising therapeutic candidates for management of diverse etiologically complex diseases while their corresponding dihydrochalcones NDC and NHDC are promising sweeteners,which might be a blessing for those who need to control sugar intake.

Functional food additives/ingredients production by engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum

Corynebacterium glutamicum is a microbial production host established in the industry 60 years ago.It is mainly used for production of feed and food amino acids.As C.glutamicum strain development has been cutting edge since its discovery,it has been engineered for production of a plethora of valuable products.This review will focus on recent developments of C.glutamicum strain engineering for biotransformation and fermentation processes towards flavor and fragrance molecules as well as pigments and sweeteners.