Artificial Sweeteners

Tyler Banks

April 24, 2006

Revised by: Phoebe Stinson

February 26, 2007

Overview

Overview of sweeteners Why we use them Types

Aspartame Sucralose Conclusion

Why Artificial Sweetners?

Reduce Obesity 60% of American adults overweight

Improve Dental Health Carbohydrate management for diabetics Tastes similar to sugars Smaller amount needed for same level of

sweetening of sugar Enhances and extends flavor

Artificial Sweeteners

5 Artificial sweeteners have been approved in the United States: Saccharin Sucralose Acesulfame potassium Neotame Aspartame

Saccharin“…saccharin’s safety is supported by 30 human studies, a century of use, the approval of the World Health Organization and 100 countries

around the world, as well as leading health groups.”

Oldest artificial sweetener; discovered in 1879 300 times sweeter than sucrose Sweet’N Low Studies show correlation between saccharin use and

cancer

Aspartame

Discovered in 1965 Nutrasweet,Equal,

Natrataste Ingredient of approximately

5,000 consumer food and beverages

180-200 times sweeter than sucrose

Acesulfame Potassium

“Around 90 studies have been conducted on this sweetener, with no documented health risks.”

Discovered in 1967 Approved in the United States since 1988 Sunett, Sweet One 100-200 times sweeter than sucrose

Sucralose

“Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar”

Discovered in 1976 Splenda Stable at high temperatures 500-600 times sweeter than sucrose

Neotame

8,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sucrose Approved in July 2002 Rapidly eliminated through normal body

processes

Sweeteners Daily IntakeSweetener Acceptable Daily

IntakeEstimated Daily Intake

Acesulfame Potassium

15 5.2

Saccharin 5 0.83

Aspartame 50 8.7

Sucralose 5 1.6

Neotame 18 0.1

dayweightbodykg

sweetenermg

*

dayweightbodykg

sweetenermg

*

*The Acceptable Daily Intake is determined by the FDA** The Estimated Daily Intake is based on the amount consumed by people whose intake exceeds that of 90% of the population

History of Aspartame

Discovered in 1965 On market since 1979 Since 1967, more than 200 studies have been done

on aspartame 1983-approved for use in carbonated beverages 1993-approved for use in baked goods and other

beverages 1996-approved for use in all foods 1992-patent expired

Products Containing Aspartame

Diet Soda Chewing Gum Breakfast cereals Vitamins Drugs Table-top sweeteners

Disadvantages of Aspartame

Not stable at high temperatures Not proven safe for children Carcinogenic Harmful metabolic biproducts Protein-allergen?

Chemistry of Aspartame

Composed of 2

amino acids

Breaks down into Methanol Aspartic Acid Phenylalanine

Methanol

Aspartic Acid Phenylalanine

Methanol

10wt% of aspartame is broken down into methanol

Methanol is converted to formaldehyde Causes blindness/blurred vision Increase in blood acidity Causes proteins to irreversibly bind DNA-

cancer? Scientists are unsure if this is a problem

Methanol: A Problem??

Alcoholic beverages and fruit juices always contain protective chemicals like ethanol

Levels of methanol in human metabolism are controlled

Not enough methanol absorbed to cause toxicity

More methanol in alcoholic beverages and fruit juices than the amount derived from aspartame ingestion

Aspartic Acid

40wt% of aspartame is broken down into aspartic acid

In a class of chemicals known as excitotoxins High levels of excitotoxins have been shown

to cause damage to areas of the brain

Phenylalanine

50wt% of aspartame is broken down into phenylalanine

If consumed in high quantities may cause: Seizures Severe mood swings Anxiety Increase in blood pressure

If consumed during pregnancy, can result in complications

Aspartame and the FDA

FDA receives more complaints related to aspartame than any other food additive

92 different health effects have been reported to the FDA

Abdominal painExcessive thirst

ArthritisDiarrheaDizziness

HeadachesIrritability

Joint pains Nausea

Rapid heartbeat Poor memory

Breathing difficulty Slurring speech

Itching

History of Sucralose

1976-Discovered 1977-final formula settled upon 1991-Approved in Canada 1993-Approveed in Australia 1996-Approved in New Zealand 1998-Patented and approved in US 2006-approved in over 60 countries

Chemistry of Sucralose

• Chlorine molecules provide stability• Passes through body without breaking down• Thermal stability

• Doesn’t lose taste with cooking

Products Containing Sucralose

Over 4500 food and beverage products Diet Soda Light Yogurt Sugar-free chocolate Light juices

Sucralose- Possible Benefits?

Less acidogenic than sugar Decreases plaque and tooth decay

Small, somewhat inert molecule Largely unabsorbed-85% Doesn’t break down-no dechlorination

Highly water soluble with low fat solubility Doesn’t accumulate in body Quickly eliminated from body

Sucralose- Possible Benefits?

Not substrate for oral or stomach bacteria Safe on teeth and GI tract

Doesn’t bind to proteins Doesn’t linger in body, non-allergenic

Non-carcinogenic Zero Calories Can be safely used by all populations

Only 15% passive diffusion

Sucralose Disadvantages

Cost Possible migrane trigger Possible cecal enlargement Renal Mineralization Does break down to dichlorofructose Diarrhea and other digestive problems Shrinks Thymus gland

This would require >20000 splenda packets/day Any effect on immune system >5000 packets/day

Why is nothing happening?

No scientific evidence FDA Huge Industry

Any others people can think of?

References http://www.neotame.com/about.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acesulfame_potassium http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucralose http://www.saccharin.org/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccharin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame http://www.chemfinder.com http://www.aspartame.org http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?

cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8946099&dopt=Citation Artificial sweeteners: Okay in Moderation. (2004). Harvard Womens Health

Watch. 11 (11). 2-3. Harder, B. Not So Sweet. Science News. 169 (7). Hull, J. (2005). The Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners. Total Health. 27

(1). 30-32. Thomas, P. (2005). Aspartame. The Ecologist. 35 (7). 36-46.

References

http://www.holisticmed.com/splenda/ http://www.diet-studies.com/splenda.html