Monk Fruit Extract Research Articles

Sugar or Sweetener?

Human beings have a natural craving for sweets. The intensity of this craving varies with genetic and environmental factors; however, excessive use of table sugar has been associated with adverse health outcomes, including increased risk of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease. As such, the World Health Organization has called for restricting sugar consumption to less than 5% of total energy intake. For those who have a "sweet tooth," implementing these guidelines is not easy. Hence, the interest in alternative sweeteners. There are eight high-intensity sweeteners that are either approved by the Food and Drug Administration or designated as generally regarded to be safe. The safety of the currently available sweeteners has been questioned. Large cohort studies have reported a positive correlation between sweetener use with weight gain and metabolic risk. A recent meta-analysis, however, concluded that using low- or no-calorie sweetener was associated with small improvements in body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors without evidence of harm. Nevertheless, the World Health Organization advises against the use of nonsugar sweeteners. The biological effects of natural sweeteners such as steviol, monk fruit extract, tagatose, allulose, and sweet proteins (eg, brazzien, miraculin, thaumatin) are not well studied. Eating less sugar is a prudent thing to do, but for people with diabetes mellitus and those at risk of diabetes mellitus, diversifying the type of the sweetener and limiting the quantity may be reasonable.

A Study on Sensory Quality Characteristics of Madeleine Sweetened with Monk Fruit Extract Powder

A Study on Sensory Quality Characteristics of Madeleine Sweetened with Monk Fruit Extract Powder

Understanding consumer preferences to develop dahi using pineapple pomace powder and monk-fruit extract.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05919-5.

Thermal and rheological study of artificial and natural powder tabletop sweeteners

Tabletop sweeteners play an essential role in calorie-restricted and low-sugar diets. Thus, this work aims to characterize by thermal analysis, SEM, and rheology, powder tabletop sweeteners samples based on the most currently consumed: aspartame (A1), saccharin (C1), sucralose (U1), stevia extract (E2) and monk fruit extract (M1). Their physicochemical properties were compared regarding thermal stability, morphology, and viscoelastic behavior. Samples based on artificial sweeteners started to lose mass from 65 °C. On the other hand, natural sweeteners showed greater thermal stability with an initial decomposition temperature of 170 °C. The DSC curves of A1 and C1 samples exhibited similar thermal profiles showing dextrose melting at 150 °C. Both DSC analyses of samples based on natural sweeteners revealed Tm erythritol (121 °C) followed by its decomposition (288 °C). In rheological analysis, except for the U1 sample, all the others presented a slight increase in the storage modulus at 10 and 25 °C, indicating that their granules were not wholly deformed. This aspect could influence the aftertaste of the products in which they will be used.

Investigating the temporality of binary taste interactions in blends of sweeteners and citric acid in solution

AbstractThis study investigated sweet–sour taste interactions in novel sweeteners using a 3 × 2 factorial design consisting of Sweetening System (three levels: sucrose; d‐allulose; and a blend of d‐allulose and Monk fruit extract) and Acidity (two levels: with or without citric acid). 110 untrained Chinese subjects participated using the temporal check‐all‐that‐apply (TCATA) method. Mixed‐model ANOVA was conducted to investigate the effect of Sweetening System, Acidity, and their interactions on the fractional Area Under the Curve within three 20 s time intervals (attack, evolution, finish). Treatments were compared using Dunnett's test with sucrose as control. Citric acid suppressed the sweet taste of both sucrose and d‐allulose more than the blend of d‐allulose and Monk fruit extract throughout attack and evolution time intervals. This finding was confirmed by a significant interaction between Sweetening System and Acidity for sweet taste. Sour taste was not affected differently by different Sweetening Systems or the difference in sweetener concentration.Practical ApplicationsThis study showed that the sweet taste of a blend of sweeteners could be altered by citric acid to have a similar temporal profile as sucrose in most of the evaluation time. This emphasizes the importance of not only conducting evaluations of novel sweeteners in aqueous solutions but also considering studies in more complex matrices and the choice of the methodology used to measure the sensory profile.

Non-Nutritive Sweetener Intake Is Low in Preschool-Aged Children in the Guelph Family Health Pilot Study.

There is limited research on the intake of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) among preschool-aged children. Canada’s Food Guide suggests limiting intake of NNS for all population groups and Health Canada recommends that young children (<2 years) avoid consuming beverages containing NNS. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and type of non-nutritive sweetener (NNS) intake in preschool-aged children participating in the Guelph Family Health Study pilots. Parents (n = 78 families) completed 3-day food records (n = 112 children; n = 55 females, n = 57 males; 3.6 years ± 1.3). Nineteen children (17%) reported consumption of foods or beverages containing NNS. Food sources with NNS included: freezies, oral nutritional supplements, flavored water, carbonated drinks, sugar free jam and protein powder. The majority of NNS contained in these foods were identified as stevia leaf extract, acesulfame K, sucralose, monk fruit extract and aspartame. Future research should continue to study NNS intake patterns longitudinally in children and examine the association of NNS intake with diet quality and health outcomes.

Effect of synbiotic yogurt fortified with monk fruit extract on hepatic lipid biomarkers and metabolism in rats with type 2 diabetes

Monk fruit extract (MFE) is widely used as a sweetener in foods. In this study, the effects of the consumption of MFE-sweetened synbiotic yogurt on the lipid biomarkers and metabolism in the livers of type 2 diabetic rats were evaluated. The results revealed that the MFE-sweetened symbiotic yogurt affected the phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylglycerol, lysophosphatidic acids, lysophosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylethanolamines, lysophosphatidylglycerols, lysophosphatidylinositols, lysophosphatidylserines, and fatty acid-hydroxy fatty acids biomarkers in the livers of type 2 diabetic rats. In addition, the consumption of the MFE-sweetened synbiotic yogurt significantly altered 12 hepatic metabolites, which are involved in phenylalanine metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, bile secretion, and glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism in the liver. Furthermore, a multiomics (metabolomic and transcriptomic) association study revealed that there was a significant correlation between the MFE-sweetened synbiotic yogurt and the metabolites and genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis, bile secretion, and glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism. The findings of this study will provide new insights on exploring the function of sweeteners for improving type 2 diabetes mellitus liver lipid biomarkers.

Physicochemical properties and microbial safety of reduced‐sugar chocolate‐flavored milk

This study investigated the impact of sugar reduction on the physicochemical properties (pH, water activity (aw), total soluble solids (TSS), viscosity, and color) and microbial safety (total mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, yeast and mold, total coliform, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes) of chocolate-flavored milk stored under refrigeration (4 ± 1°C) for 28 days. When compared with the full-sugar chocolate milk (control), the 50% reduced-sugar (w/v) formulation containing concentration of stevia (56.27 mg/L) and monk fruit extract (81.90 mg/L), optimized based on the sensory responses by 107 consumers, showed no significant changes in pH, aw, and microbial growth. However, TSS and viscosity were significantly lower with higher lightness and yellowness but lower redness values in the reduced-sugar sample compared to the control, but no significant changes were observed over the storage period. Consequently, 50% of added sugar (w/v) could be reduced to formulate chocolate milk with acceptable physicochemical properties and microbial safety. Practical applications Flavored milk is a source of recommended dietary allowances for vitamin D and calcium but can contain up to 10% of added sugar (w/v). However, the intake of high levels of added sugar has been associated with several chronic diseases. Hence, there is a need to reduce added sugar. But the impact of sugar reduction has mainly been investigated from a health perspective. There is limited data available on how this impacts physicochemical and microbial properties. These aspects are crucial to be assessed before the new product could be launched in the market. Hence, the findings from this study will provide insights to the dairy industry on the stability of a new product in terms of physicochemical and microbiological safety when considering sugar reformulation programs.

High-Yield Synthesis of Transglycosylated Mogrosides Improves the Flavor Profile of Monk Fruit Extract Sweeteners.

Luo Han Guo fruit extract (Siraitia grosvenorii), mainly composed of mogroside V (50%), could be considered a suitable alternative to free sugars; however, its commercial applications are limited by its unpleasant off-notes. In the present work, a central composite design method was employed to optimize the transglycosylation of a mogroside extract using cyclodextrin glucosyltransferases (CGTases) from three different bacteriological sources (Paenibacillus macerans, Geobacillus sp., and Thermoanaerobacter sp.) considering various experimental parameters such as maltodextrin and mogroside concentration, temperature, time of reaction, enzymatic activity, and pH. Product structures were determined by liquid chromatography coupled to a diode-array detector (LC-DAD), liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS), and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Sensory analysis of glucosylated mogrosides showed an improvement in flavor attributes relevant to licorice flavor and aftereffect. Consequently, an optimum methodology was developed to produce new modified mogrosides more suitable when formulating food products as free sugar substitutes.

Comparative In vitro metabolism of purified mogrosides derived from monk fruit extracts

Mogrosides are the primary components responsible for the sweet taste of Monk fruit which is derived from Siraitia grosvenorii (Swingle), a herbaceous plant native to southern China. Many mogrosides have been identified from Monk fruit extract, but the major sweetness component of Monk fruit by mass is mogroside V, comprising up to 0.5% of the dried fruit weight. Recent pharmacokinetic studies indicate that the parent mogrosides undergo minimal systemic absorption following ingestion and hydrolysis by digestive enzymes and/or intestinal flora and are excreted as mogrol (i.e., the aglycone) and its mono- and diglucosides. The objective of this study was to demonstrate whether individual mogrosides, are metabolized to a common and terminal deglycosylated metabolite, mogrol. An in vitro assay was conducted with pooled human male and female intestinal fecal homogenates (HFH) using mogrosides IIIe, mogroside V, siamenoside I, and isomogroside V at two concentrations over a 48 h period. The results show that various mogrosides that differ in the linkages and number of glucose units attached to a common cucurbitane backbone, share a common metabolic fate, and are metabolized within 24 h to mogrol. Aside from an apparent difference in the initial rate of deglycosylation between mogrosides at higher concentrations, no apparent difference in the rate of deglycosylation was observed between the male and female HFH. Given the similar structures of these mogrosides and a shared metabolic fate to mogrol, the study provides support for a reasonably conservative approach to assess safety based on bridging safety data from an individual mogroside (i.e., Mogroside V) to other mogrosides, and the establishment of a group Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), rather than individual ADI's for mogrosides.

Phytochemical composition and pharmacological impact of natural non-calorie sweetener- monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii): a review

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight the biological activities of low-calorie natural sweetener, i.e. monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii), which are associated with its bioactive constituents.Design/methodology/approachRecent investigations focused on biochemical characterization and nutraceutical potential of monk fruit (traditional Chinese perennial vine) have been critically reviewed. Also, the safety and influence of monk fruit on organoleptic characteristics of prepared food products have been documented.FindingsBiochemistry of monk fruit revealed that mogrosides are the principal compounds responsible for the high-intensity sweetness in the monk fruit. The fruit induces several biological activities including anti-oxidative effect, hypoglycemic response, anti-allergic properties, anti-carcinogenic and anti-tissue damage activities. Attributing to great potential as a bio-functional sweetener in food products, monk fruit extract has been approved as Generally Regarded as Safe.Originality/valueThis paper highlights the biological potential of monk fruit opening the doors to future investigations for its utilization in products of commercial importance including food and pharmaceutical preparations.

Optimisation of natural sweeteners for sugar reduction in chocolate flavoured milk and their impact on sensory attributes

The possibility of achieving a 50% of added sugar reduction in chocolate milk using natural non-nutritive sweeteners, namely stevia and monk fruit extract was studied and optimised using response surface methodology. Variables were chosen as stevia sweetener (5–100 ppm) and monk fruit extract (50–100 ppm) based on preliminary trials. Sensory attributes (overall liking, appearance, aroma, sweetness, mouthfeel and aftertaste) were taken as the responses. The process was optimised with a combination of 56.27 ppm of stevia sweetener and 81.90 ppm of monk fruit extract with sensory attributes of 6.78, 6.47, 6.31, 6.47, 6.45 and 6.33, respectively for overall liking, appearance, aroma, sweetness, mouthfeel and aftertaste. Use of the two selected sweeteners in combination resulted in sweetness synergy and the bitter and metallic aftertastes of stevia were masked by the monk fruit extract and helped enhance the overall sensory attributes of the product compared with the control.

Physiochemical, rheological, microstructural, and antioxidant properties of yogurt using monk fruit extract as a sweetener

A yogurt using monk fruit extract (MFE) as a sweetener was developed. The aim of the study was to investigate the viability of using MFE to develop sweetened yogurts without the calories of added sugar. The physiochemical, rheological, microstructural, and antioxidant properties of yogurt were studied. Rheological results showed that MFE affected the yogurt fermentation process and its rheological properties. Yogurt sweetened with MFE had similar microstructural properties to yogurt sweetened with sucrose. Yogurt with MFE showed higher levels of gly-pro-p-nitroanilide and dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitory activities, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity, α-glucosidase inhibitory activities, and superoxide anion radical scavenging ability compared with other yogurt samples. Results indicated that MFE could be a novel sweetener and a food antioxidant for functional yogurt and related products.

Impact of artificial sweeteners on cellular growth and signaling pathways

Artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, and sucralose are found in a wide variety of foods today, particularly in zero‐calorie sugar substitutes (Equal, Sweet’ N Low, Splenda). Research conducted on animals and human epidemiological studies involving use of these compounds have provided contradictory results, in some cases indicating the compounds as safe and in others, as causing cancer. In our project, we sought to analyze the impact of six different synthetic sugar substitutes (found in Whole Earth, Equal, Splenda, Sweet’ N Low, Nutrasweet and Nutame) on bacterial and mammalian cell growth. The commercial substitutes as well as the purified ingredients found in these substitutes (erythritol, xylitol, stevia, monkfruit extract) were both tested. In this two‐phase project, E. coli cells were grown on minimal media lacking glucose but supplemented with the substitutes to determine the impact on growth. Bacterial cells were exposed to 0.4% of the compounds (0.4% is the standard glucose concentration found in rich LB media) and grown on media plates as well as in liquid cultures. Positive controls included minimal media plates containing glucose as well as rich media LB plates; negative controls included minimal media plates lacking any sugars. Our results indicate that bacteria are able to metabolize the sweeteners at different capacities but are unable to grow in acelsulfame‐K as well as the Whole Earth sweetener. A dose‐dependent profile to monitor whether bacteria will be able to utilize these compounds at higher doses (&gt;0.4%) or will be able to survive if exposed to much lower doses (&lt;0.1%) indicated that the growth increased with increasing concentration of the sweetener until 1%. In the second phase of our study we are growing mammalian normal (HEK293) and cancer cell lines in the presence of these substitutes at different concentrations and analyzing the impact specifically on the the mTOR signaling pathway that has been linked to a wide variety of cancers. Since some sugar substitutes have been linked to cancers in animals (e.g. sucralose to bladder cancer in rats) and considering the enormous use of these sweeteners today, this study will provide useful findings that could have important implications for their continued usage.Support or Funding InformationThis work is being supported by a UNIV498 Faculty‐Student Collaborative Research Award from CSU, Channel Islands to Nitika Parmar

Effects of a synbiotic yogurt using monk fruit extract as sweetener on glucose regulation and gut microbiota in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus

We developed a synbiotic yogurt using monk fruit extract as a sweetener and investigated the effects of feeding the yogurt to rats with type 2 diabetes induced by streptozotocin and a high-fat diet. The rats fed the synbiotic yogurt showed greater blood glucose regulation and a significant decrease in insulin resistance and glycosylated hemoglobin compared with rats fed yogurt sweetened with sucrose, and they showed a remarkable improvement in short-chain fatty acid levels and gut microbiota status. Liver and kidney damage was also ameliorated in the rats fed the synbiotic yogurt. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that the synbiotic yogurt inhibited β-cell loss compared with the control yogurt. Consuming the synbiotic yogurt helped to restore the islets of Langerhans. Our results indicated that monk fruit extract may be a good alternative to sucrose for synbiotic yogurt products in people with type 2 diabetes to delay the progression of diabetes and associated complications.

Effect of feeding type 2 diabetes mellitus rats with synbiotic yogurt sweetened with monk fruit extract on serum lipid levels and hepatic AMPK (5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) signaling pathway.

Monk fruit extract (MFE) is a natural sweetener that has been used as an ingredient of food and pharmaceutical products. The effects of feeding synbiotic yogurt fortified with MFE to rats with type 2 diabetes induced by high-fat diet and streptozotocin on serum lipid levels and hepatic AMPK signaling pathway were evaluated. Results showed that oral administration of the synbiotic yogurt fortified with MFE could improve serum lipid levels, respiratory exchange rate, and heat level in type 2 diabetic rats. Transcriptome analysis showed that synbiotic yogurt fortified with MFE may affect the expression of genes involved in binding, catalytic activity, and transporter activity. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that these differentially expressed genes were related to AMPK signaling pathway, linoleic acid metabolism, and α-linolenic acid metabolism. Western blotting confirmed that synbiotic yogurt fortified with MFE could activate AMPK signaling and improve the protein level of the hepatic gluconeogenic enzyme G6Pase in diabetic rats. The results indicated that MFE could be a novel sweetener for functional yogurt and related products.

Safety of use of Monk fruit extract as a food additive in different food categories.

The EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF) provides a scientific opinion on the safety of Monk fruit extract proposed for use as a new food additive in different food categories. Monk fruit extracts are prepared by water extraction of the fruits of Siraitia grosvenorii. Cucurbitane glycosides, mogrosides, are the main components of the S. grosvenorii fruit and mogroside V is the main mogroside in the Monk fruit extract. Mogroside V is absorbed to some extent and is systemically bioavailable. Monk fruit extract containing 25% and 55% mogroside V were negative in the bacterial reverse mutation assay and did not induce structural and/or numerical chromosomal damage. However, the Panel noted that the in vitro toxicity studies including study with metabolic activation were not sufficiently informative to evaluate the genotoxic potential of the metabolites generated after microbial metabolism, including the aglycone. The effects on the testis observed in a 90‐day study with monk fruit extract‐52% mogroside V cannot be dismissed and the adversity of these effects cannot be ruled out. No effects on parental, reproductive or development toxicity were observed in a reproductive and developmental screening study in rats. For male animals, the time of exposure did not cover the full length of spermatogenesis and, therefore, a longer term study at higher doses would be needed to clarify the effects on testes observed in the 90‐day study. No maternal and developmental toxicity was observed. Considering the systemic availability of mogroside V, the effects observed in the rat subchronic study and following the principles of EFSA Guidance on food additives evaluation, data from chronic/carcinogenicity toxicity testing would have been warranted. Exposure to mogroside V was calculated based on the proposed use levels. The Panel concluded that toxicity database on Monk fruit extract is insufficient to conclude on the safety of the use of Monk fruit extract as a food additive.

Analysis of Mogrosides in Siraitia grosvenorii Fruits at Different Stages of Maturity

Monk fruit extract has been approved as a natural sweetener by many countries. Its major sweet components, mogrosides, display different sweet intensities and profiles. Therefore, it is important to understand the change of mogroside contents in Siraitia grosvenorii at different maturity stages. In this study, monk fruit cultivars were collected from 4 locations in GuangXi, GuiZhou, and HuNan, at different times. Mogroside IIe, mogroside III, mogroside IIIe, mogroside IV, mogroside V, isomogroside V, and siamenoside I in each sample were quantified using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC-MS-MS). As a result, mogroside IIe was the major component at the early maturity stage. It is converted to mogroside III from 15 to 45 days, then continued the glycosylation rapidly to yield mogroside V which kept predominant after 60 days. Highly glycosylated mogrosides, such as mogroside V and siamenoside I, which provide a better taste profile, accumulated and stabilized from 75 to 90 days. It is recommended to harvest the fruit after 75 days of pollination.

Recent evidence for the effects of nonnutritive sweeteners on glycaemic control.

By replacing sugar, nonnutritive sweeteners (NNSs) are thought to aid in weight management and decrease insulin resistance. We reviewed the latest randomized clinical trials (RCTs) investigating the effects NNSs on glycaemic control. Six RCTs addressed this topic between 2017 and 2018; the majority tested artificial NNS (sucralose or aspartame), with only one testing natural NNS (stevia and monk fruit extract). Most found no effect of NNS on blood glucose, insulin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) levels; however, two trials showed an effect of sucralose on the acute insulin response. We are still incapable of reaching a definite judgement on which types of NNS, if any, impact glycaemic control. There is a need for more research to overcome the limitations of recent RCTs, related to sample size, intervention duration, dose, form of NNSs used, and inclusion of males or female participants only. Future studies should also compare different NNS types with each other, and include the increasingly popular 'natural' NNS.

Immobilization of enzymes into nanofiber membranes via electrospinning and its application in natural sweetener production

Non-caloric artificial sweeteners (NAS) are currently the world's most widely used food additives, which are considered safe and contributed to good health. But recent research shows that there are still controversies. Therefore, natural sweeteners had gained much attention as NAS substitutes. Recently, the fastest growing market of natural sweetener is the sweeteners made from monk fruit, because its extracts are highest in sweetness among various natural sweeteners and parts of the sweetness compounds have significant anti-diabetic activity. However, one of the components in monk fruit extracts called Siamenoside I (S I), which found to be the most sweetness compound and taste most closely to sucrose, are relatively low in contents. In addition, the Mogroside III E (MG III E), which is lower in sweetness compared to S I but with significant anti-diabetic properties, are also low in contents in the natural monk fruit extracts. As the results, the developing of methods to enrich the contents of S I and MG III E in monk fruit extracts and related products are the goals for the current natural sweetener manufacturers. The bitter tastes and flavors of saponins containing functional foods and related beverages are still the issues to be addressed. For example, the modification of glycoside linkage patterns of saponins including oleuropeins, ginsenosides, and momordicosides could achieve the debittering purpose and meet the consumers' preferences. Therefore, the goals of this research are to immobilize specific enzymes using electrospinning. Together with the high throughput microreactor, and the continuous packed-bed column, we suppose that we could obtain a fair amount of S I and MG III E through enzyme transformation of MG V and improve the taste of monk fruit extracts as natural sweeteners. Support or Funding Information This research was supported by the by the National Science Council of Taiwan (NSC Grant 106-2218-E-029-002-MY2). The screening of yeast transformants having its exg1Δ::kanMX4 replaced by DbExg1-His-URA3 cassette which has S I bioconversion activity A. Ura− and G418 resistance selection. B. The genotype confirmation of yeast transformants. Successful transformants have 3523 b.p product. Numbers represent candidates relative to candidates in A. C. Screening of transformants with siamenoside I production specificity. Peak 1, mogroside V; 2, siamenoside I; 3, mogroside IV; 4, mogroside IIIE. SEM images and size distribution of electrospun nanofibrous membrane: (Upper panel) PVA; (Lower panel) cross-lined PVA. SEM images and size distribution of electrospun nanofibrous membrane: (Upper panel) PVA with 0.5% of the enzyme; (Lower panel) cross-lined PVA with 0.5% of the enzyme. SEM images and size distribution of electrospun nanofibrous membrane: (Upper panel) PVA with 2.0 % of the enzyme; (Lower panel) cross-lined PVA with 2.0% of the enzyme. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.