Cypha™ [Propionic acid, 2-(4-methoxyphenol) salt] inhibits sweet taste in humans, but not in rats

Abstract

Cypha™, propionic acid, 2-(4-methoxyphenol) salt, is a commercially available sweet taste inhibitor used in food products. The present study examined whether or not Cypha™ blocked the sweet taste response of rats. This was accomplished by measuring the consummatory response of rats to sucrose solutions during short-term taste tests. Nondeprived female rats were given 2-bottle choice tests (10 min) with different sucrose solutions. When given the choice between 10% sucrose and 10% sucrose containing Cypha™ at concentrations of 0.0125% to 0.10%, the rats showed no reliable preference for one or the other solution. In other tests, they reliably preferred 10% sucrose to 8%, 6%, and 4% sucrose, demonstrating the sensitivity of the behavioral test. To confirm the activity of the Cypha™ sample, a second experiment was conducted with human subjects. Using a visual analogue scale, the subjects rated the sweetness of various sucrose solutions (0% to 10%) and 10% sucrose solutions containing Cypha™ at concentrations of 0.0125% or 0.025%. Cypha™ reliably reduced the sweetness ratings of the sucrose solution. The 10% sucrose + 0.0125% Cypha™ solution was judged isosweet to 2.3–2.9% sucrose, and the 10% sucrose + 0.025% Cypha™ solution was rated as isosweet to a 1.2% sucrose solution. Taken together, these data confirm prior reports on the sweetness-inhibitory effect of Cypha™ in humans and demonstrate its ineffectiveness in rats. These findings are consistent with other reported differences between rats and humans in their response to other sweetness inhibitors, as well as to artificial sweeteners.