Comparative evaluation of natural and artificial sweeteners from DNA damage, oxidative stress, apoptosis, to development using Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

The overconsumption of added sugars makes people vulnerable to a myriad of diseases. Several biochemical and developmental assays were performed in the current study to assess the effect of fructose on Drosophila melanogaster and to find substitutes for fructose by comparing it to well-known sweeteners. Drosophila was exposed separately to the same ratio of sugar 9.21% (w/v) of several types of sweeteners (sucrose, fructose, glucose syrup, high-fructose corn syrup and stevia). Results revealed that fructose might induce recombination, whereas stevia lacks genotoxic potential. No developmental delay, growth defects, or neurotoxic effects were recorded for any of the sweeteners. We also observed no striking differences in reactive oxygen species levels. Thus, stevia seems to be an alternative sweetener to fructose that can be consumed to reduce fructose-induced anomalies.