Sweetener Sucralose Research Articles

The Pattern of Fos-Like Immunoreactivity Expressed Within the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract Is Associated With Individual Variation in the Taste Quality of a Stimulus.

Outbred rats differ in their preference for the artificial sweetener sucralose. Psychophysical assessments have shown that the taste of sucralose is differentially generalized to either sucrose or a sucrose-quinine (QHCl) mixture in sucralose preferers (SP) and sucralose avoiders (SA), respectively. It remains to be determined if these differences in the psychophysical assessment of the taste of sucralose are due to an insensitivity to any bitter-like taste component of sucralose in SP or reduced sensitivity to a sweet-like component in SA that may mask any putative aversive side-taste in SP. Here, we exploited the proposed chemotopic organization of the rostral nucleus of the solitary tract (rNTS) to further parse out the root differences in the perception of the salient taste qualities of sucralose using Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) to approximate neural activation following intraoral delivery of sucrose, QHCl, and sucralose solutions in previously categorized SA and SP. First, we confirmed previous reports that the medial third of the NTS is primarily responsive to intraoral infusions of the bitter taste stimulus QHCl while sucrose produces a more diffuse pattern of FLI. Upon comparing the FLI generated by intraoral sucralose, we found that the pattern in SA was indistinguishable from that of QHCl while SP displayed a pattern of FLI more representative of a sucrose-QHCl mixture. We conclude that SA, relative to SP, may be less sensitive to the sucrose-like properties of sucralose and that an enhanced sensitivity to these sucrose-like qualities may mask a QHCl-like quality in SP.

Technology for Manufacture of Dietetic Functional Basundi

Dietetic functional Basundi was manufactured by employing low fat milk (1.5 per cent) with WPC and blend of stabilizer as fat replacer; Sucrose was replaced with intense sweetener sucralose and the bulk of sucrose was replaced with different combination of blend of polydextrose, maltodextrin and sorbitol as bulking ingredients. Replacement of sucrose with intense sweetener and combination of bulking ingredients did not affect compositional and physico-chemical attributes however a non-significant rise in 5’HMF content was observed with increase in ploydextrose content in the bulking ingredients’ blend. Viscosity followed the similar trend that was noted for 5’HMF. In sensory attributes body and texture and flavour score had significant impact of replacement of sucrose. Polydextrose in the blend when increased to more than 9.0 percent, it increased the body and texture and flavour score significantly, however such increase was non-significant for body and texture score, while flavour score decreased non-significantly. Overall acceptability score followed the similar trend observed for body and texture score. Polydextrose: Maltodextrin: Sorbitol in the proportion of 12:01:03 was considered best because of creamier body with polydextrose and sorbitol being more laxative at increased proportions.

Kinetics and Mechanism of Sucralose Degradation in Water Using UV-activated Persulfate Process

The degradation of emerging pollutant artificial sweetener sucralose (SUC) using UV/persulfate (UV/PS). The effects of several process parameters, including UV light intensity, PS dosage, pH, and anion concentration, were also investigated. The degradation products and their toxicity during the UV/PS process were further analyzed and evaluated. It is reported that, compared with single UV or PS, the degradation of SUC by UV/PS was more obvious. The degradation rate constants increased with an increase in the light intensity and PS dosage. The SUC degradation could be improved under neutral conditions. The background ions NO3- and HCO3- could inhibit the degradation process, while Cl- and SO42- ions could accelerate the process. Sixteen intermediate products were identified using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and GC-MS. Hydroxylation, oxidation, ether cracking, and other reactions were involved. A degradation path was further proposed. Moreover, luminescent bacteria toxicity test and ECOSAR prediction showed that the intermediates with higher toxicity could be produced during UV/PS, which could pose a potential threat to the ecological environment.

Emerging organic contaminants in groundwater under a rapidly developing city (Patna) in northern India dominated by high concentrations of lifestyle chemicals.

Aquatic pollution from emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) is of key environmental importance in India and globally, particularly due to concerns of antimicrobial resistance, ecotoxicity and drinking water supply vulnerability. Here, using a broad screening approach, we characterize the composition and distribution of EOCs in groundwater in the Gangetic Plain around Patna (Bihar), as an exemplar of a rapidly developing urban area in northern India. A total of 73 EOCs were detected in 51 samples, typically at ng.L-1 to low μg.L-1 concentrations, relating to medical and veterinary, agrochemical, industrial and lifestyle usage. Concentrations were often dominated by the lifestyle chemical and artificial sweetener sucralose. Seventeen identified EOCs are flagged as priority compounds by the European Commission, World Health Organisation and/or World Organisation for Animal Health: namely, herbicides diuron and atrazine; insecticides imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin and acetamiprid; the surfactant perfluorooctane sulfonate (and related perfluorobutane sulfonate, perfluorohexane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluoropentane sulfonate); and medical/veterinary compounds sulfamethoxazole, sulfanilamide, dapson, sulfathiazole, sulfamethazine and diclofenac. The spatial distribution of EOCs varies widely, with concentrations declining with depth, consistent with a strong dominant vertical flow control. Groundwater EOC concentrations in Patna were found to peak within ∼10km distance from the River Ganges, indicating mainly urban inputs with some local pollution hotspots. A heterogeneous relationship between EOCs and population density likely reflects confounding factors including varying input types and controls (e.g. spatial, temporal), wastewater treatment infrastructure and groundwater abstraction. Strong seasonal agreement in EOC concentrations was observed. Co-existence of limited transformation products with associated parent compounds indicate active microbial degradation processes. This study characterizes key controls on the distribution of groundwater EOCs across the urban to rural transition near Patna, as a rapidly developing Indian city, and contributes to the wider understanding of the vulnerability of shallow groundwater to surface-derived contamination in similar environments.

Non-nutritive sweetener sucralose chronic consumption is able to reduce the deleterious effect of high-fat diet on body composition, glucose metabolism and vascular function in C57BL/6JR mice

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are increasingly used in food and beverages to replace high-energy, added sugars. By providing consumers with products that have a sweet taste and low-energy content, NNS appear to be the magic bullet to enhance weight loss and reduce cardiometabolic diseases. However, several recent studies have reported associations between NNS consumption and weight gain, increased incidence of type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular events. We aimed to evaluate the effects of chronic NNS sucralose consumption on glucose metabolism and vascular function, well recognized as an early marker of cardiovascular disorders, in healthy or diet-induced obese mice. Sixty male C57BL/6JR mice were divided in four groups to follow a 12 weeks diet. Control group had access to normal chow diet (NC) and water, whereas three other consumed high fat diet (HF) with either access to water, or 10% sucrose solution, or 0.017% sucralose solution (Acceptable Daily Intake). Fasting glucose, insulin and glucose tolerance test as well as body composition has been measured. Ex vivo aortic vasomotor function of the aorta has been investigated with a pharmacological approach. Mice consuming HF diet and sucralose had a lower weight gain compared to other HF groups despite no difference in their caloric intake. Adiposity index as well as sub cutaneous fat was also decreased in this group. Moreover, sucralose consumption lead to an increased glucose tolerance and increased insulin sensitivity compared to other HF groups and comparable with NC group. Finally, sucralose chronic consumption also improved vascular endothelial function compared to the three other groups. Chronic sucralose consumption could restrain the deleterious effect of HF diet on body composition and blood glucose regulation, but also seems to moderately increase vascular function. Nevertheless, more study are needed to understand the underlying mechanisms.

Experimental and Computational Studies of a Laccase Immobilized ZnONPs/GO-Based Electrochemical Enzymatic Biosensor for the Detection of Sucralose in Food Samples

Monitoring of high intensity artificial sweeteners in the food industry for environmental and human health has become relevant in recent years. This work exploits the electrocatalytic properties of the laccase enzyme for sensing of a high intensity sweetener sucralose experimentally and supported by computational modeling. The fabrication of the laccase biosensor was achieved using laccase immobilized onto zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) capped with p-amino thiophenol (ATP) and covalently attached to graphene oxide (GO) modified glassy carbon electrode (Lac/ZnONPs-ATP-GO/GCE). The developed biosensor exhibited an 8-fold enhancement of differential pulse voltammetry signals compared with the bare GCE at pH 5.0 in a 0.1 M phosphate buffer. The amplification of signals was due to a firm binding of laccase onto the surface of GO through high isoelectric point ZnONPs, exhibiting an enzymatic catalytic activity towards the oxidation of sucralose (SUC) at + 0.25 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). Under the optimized experimental conditions, the anodic peak current linearly increased with the sucralose concentrations ranging from 0.025–0.1 mM (R2 = 0.9984) and 0.25–1.0 mM (R2 = 0.9979) with a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.32 μM. Furthermore, the proposed strategy was confirmed by assessing the interactions between the sucralose and the laccase using computational tools. First, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations of SUC revealed a HOMO–LUMO energy gap of − 0.2555 eV, suggesting a great tendency to act as an electron donor. Furthermore, adsorption and sucralose-laccase docking studies were carried out to better understand the redox mechanisms. These results revealed that SUC forms hydrogen bonds with ILE 230 and GLN 228 and other amino acids of the hydrophobic channel of the binding sites, thereby facilitating the redox reaction for the detection of sucralose.

Artificial Sweeteners Disrupt Tight Junctions and Barrier Function in the Intestinal Epithelium through Activation of the Sweet Taste Receptor, T1R3.

The breakdown of the intestinal epithelial barrier and subsequent increase in intestinal permeability can lead to systemic inflammatory diseases and multiple-organ failure. Nutrition impacts the intestinal barrier, with dietary components such as gluten increasing permeability. Artificial sweeteners are increasingly consumed by the general public in a range of foods and drinks. The sweet taste receptor (T1R3) is activated by artificial sweeteners and has been identified in the intestine to play a role in incretin release and glucose transport; however, T1R3 has not been previously linked to intestinal permeability. Here, the intestinal epithelial cell line, Caco-2, was used to study the effect of commonly-consumed artificial sweeteners, sucralose, aspartame and saccharin, on permeability. At high concentrations, aspartame and saccharin were found to induce apoptosis and cell death in intestinal epithelial cells, while at low concentrations, sucralose and aspartame increased epithelial barrier permeability and down-regulated claudin 3 at the cell surface. T1R3 knockdown was found to attenuate these effects of artificial sweeteners. Aspartame induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production to cause permeability and claudin 3 internalization, while sweetener-induced permeability and oxidative stress was rescued by the overexpression of claudin 3. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the artificial sweeteners sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin exert a range of negative effects on the intestinal epithelium through the sweet taste receptor T1R3.

Frequent non‐nutritive sweetener intake alters the expression of endocannabinoid receptors in liver and pancreas in mice

The endocannabinoid system plays a major role in the regulation of systemic energy balance, including the modulation of hepatic and pancreatic homeostasis, which is relevant for energy metabolism. Nutritional alterations such as consumption of hypercaloric diets associated with development of obesity promote alterations in hepatic and pancreatic functions and also affect endocannabinoid‐dependent signaling. Non‐nutritive sweeteners have been extensively used to decrease calorie intake from diet and inhibit development of chronic non‐transmissible diseases like obesity and type II diabetes; nonetheless, there is accumulating evidence that these compounds may have additional metabolic effects of clinical significance. The objective of this study is to determine alterations in the expression of CB1 and CB2 endocannabinoid receptors in liver and pancreas of adult mice supplemented with the commercially available non‐nutritive sweeteners sucralose and steviol glycosides, daily, for 6 weeks. After supplementation, hepatic and pancreatic expression of CB1 and CB2 receptors is evaluated by western blot and immunofluorescence. Preliminary results show increased expression of CB1 receptors in male animals supplemented with sucralose, whereas a similar effect is observed in female mice supplemented with sucrose, compared to non‐supplemented controls. In contrast, CB2 expression is increased in male animals supplemented with steviol glycosides and no significant changes have been observed for CB2 expression in females. So far, our results suggest that frequent consumption of non‐nutritive sweeteners alter the expression of endocannabinoid receptors in liver and pancreas in vivo, which may affect the activity of metabolic routes involved in the regulation of systemic energy balance.

Is the edulcorate power of two intense sweeteners sucralose and stevia same in ice cream and frozen desserts?

PurposeCarob has been proposed as a healthy, stimulant-free alternative to chocolate in frozen desserts. In order to make carob a viable and attractive alternative, food producers need to know how it interacts with sweeteners and frozen dessert dispersion matrices. The purpose of this paper is to find the optimal sweetener concentration in three plant-based frozen desserts and carob-flavoured milk dispersion matrix ice cream.Design/methodology/approachThe ideal sucrose concentrations (per cent) were determined through an affective test using the “just-about-right” scale for carob-flavoured frozen desserts made with cashew nut, coconut and soy beverage, as well as milk dispersion matrix. The sweetness equivalence of artificial sweeteners relative to sucrose was determined by the magnitude estimation test.FindingsThe authors identified the concentrations of sucrose, stevia and sucralose that produced ideal sweetness in carob-flavoured frozen desserts. Concentrations for soy-based frozen desserts differed from the other dispersion mediums tested. Plant-based frozen desserts exhibited a higher ratio of sweetening power of stevia and sucralose to sucrose compared to milk-based ice cream by a factor of 1.18 and 1.14, respectively.Originality/valueThis study undertook a comprehensive survey of a dairy-free and chocolate-free alternative to chocolate ice cream and found new sweetener interactions with dispersion matrices in carob-flavoured frozen desserts. The findings in this study can be applied in the development of carob-flavoured soybean-, coconut-, cashew nut- and milk-based frozen desserts.

Wastewater impacts on groundwater at a fractured sedimentary bedrock site in Ontario, Canada: implications for First Nations’ source-water protection

The impacts of wastewater on Indigenous drinking water sources is an issue of concern across Canada. This study investigated the wastewater impacts on groundwater resources at a First Nations reserve located on a vulnerable fractured sedimentary bedrock aquifer in southern Ontario. The objectives were to examine the spatiotemporal variability of a variety of tracers of wastewater and their movement to groundwater. The tracers included nitrate, E. coli, total coliforms, and the artificial sweeteners sucralose, acesulfame, and cyclamate. Isotopes in the groundwater were also examined, including tritium and the isotopes of oxygen and nitrogen in dissolved inorganic nitrate. Three multilevel monitoring systems (seven-channel continuous multi-channel tubing) were retrofitted in unused drinking-water wells on the reserve and monitored from December 2015 to November 2016. Results indicate that groundwater at various depths has been impacted by the septic systems on the reserve. The fractures intersected by the three retrofitted wells contain a mix of newly recharged and older water, and contaminant peaks do not always correspond with ports aligned with higher hydraulic conductivity, showing variable travel times for the constituents. The selection of wastewater management systems that are appropriate for the particular hydrogeological setting on the reserves is critical to providing safe, clean drinking water to Indigenous communities. In particular, special consideration should be made for communities situated on fractured sedimentary bedrock aquifers with thin overburden.

Evaluation of the artificial sweetener sucralose as a sanitary wastewater tracer in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA

Narragansett Bay is an urban estuary that historically has been impacted by long-term discharge of sanitary wastewater (WW) effluents. High-density water sampling was conducted in Narragansett Bay, RI, USA, in an effort to understand the distribution and behavior of sucralose, an artificial sweetener that has shown utility as a sanitary wastewater tracer. Water samples were collected at sixty-seven sites and analyzed for sucralose, whose performance was compared to other tracers present in wastewater effluents. Concentrations of sucralose were much higher than the other tracers measured, carbamazepine and caffeine, ranging from 18 to 3180 ng/L and corresponded well with salinity (r2 = 0.88), demonstrating conservative behavior throughout the Bay. Mapped interpolation data using an empirical bayesian kriging model clearly show the spatial trends of WW and how estuarine processes influence dilution and dispersion throughout the Bay. These findings provide further evidence of the efficacy of sucralose as a wastewater tracer in large urban estuaries where continuous high-volume discharge of WW occur.

Investigations with the aim of obtaining a mass for pressing medicated chewing gums "Lysodent C"

The design of high quality compressed medicated chewing gum "Lysodent C" with lysozyme hydrochloride and ascorbic acid as active pharmaceutical ingredients and the composition Health in Gum® PWD-01 as a chewable gum base involves obtaining a homogeneous mass for pressing. In order to prevent the segregation of the mass for pressing due to its polydispersity, it was necessary to carry out a preliminary granulation of the substance of lysozyme hydrochloride, which is characterized by fine dispersion, hygroscopicity and insufficient pharmacotechnological properties for direct compression method.Aim of the work – to carry out physicochemical and pharmacotechnological studies in order to obtain a homogeneous mass for pressing medicated chewing gums "Lysodent C".Materials and methods. The objects of study are granulate of lysozyme hydrochloride (Bouwhuis Enthoven, the Netherlands) with an intensive sweetener sucralose (Solo Sucralose-Non Micronised NF, VB Medicare PVT. LTD., India) and a flavoring agent (Nat Apple Flavor Wonf, Kerry Inc., Malaysia), and also a mass for pressing, obtained by mixing the granulate, the composition Health in Gum® PWD-01 (Cafosa, Spain) and ascorbic acid (Foodchem, China). As a granulating liquid ethanol 96 % was used. During the experiment, physicochemical (moisture absorption capacity), pharmacotechnological (optical microscopy, flowability, bulk density and tapped density, determination of particle size by analytical sieving) and statistical studies in accordance with the requirements of SPhU 2.0 were used.Results. Crystallographic analysis revealed similarity in size and shape of the obtained lysozyme hydrochloride granulates with the granules of Health in Gum® PWD-01, which was also confirmed by the study of the fractional composition – particles with a size of 1.0 > n ≥ 0.7 are their main fraction. In addition, the conversion of lysozyme hydrochloride powder to granules improved its pharmacotechnological characteristics. However, granulate, like the pure substance of lysozyme hydrochloride, is hygroscopic, which requires, respectively, a decrease in its moisture absorption capacity. Crystallographic analysis of the mixture obtained by mixing the granulate and Health in Gum® PWD-01 with premixing of ascorbic acid, established its dispersion homogeneity, and the study of its technological characteristics – good flowability, which will ensure high-quality compressed gums. The moisture absorption capacity of the formed mass for pressing did not decrease, but on the contrary increased, due to the presence in the mixture of such hygroscopic components as lysozyme hydrochloride and chewing gum base.Conclusions. It was established that the use of pre-granulation of lysozyme hydrochloride led to the homogeneity of the resulting mass for pressing. However, the hygroscopicity of the mixture requires the introduction of moisture-absorbing agents in its composition or compliance with 40 % of the relative humidity of the environment during the preparation of the drug

Brain activity and connectivity changes in response to nutritive natural sugars, non-nutritive natural sugar replacements and artificial sweeteners

ABSTRACT Introduction The brain plays an important regulatory role in directing energy homeostasis and eating behavior. The increased ingestion of sugars and sweeteners over the last decades makes investigating the effects of these substances on the regulatory function of the brain of particular interest. We investigated whole brain functional response to the ingestion of nutrient shakes sweetened with either the nutritive natural sugars glucose and fructose, the low- nutritive natural sugar replacement allulose or the non-nutritive artificial sweetener sucralose. Methods Twenty healthy, normal weight, adult males underwent functional MRI on four separate visits. In a double-blind randomized study setup, participants received shakes sweetened with glucose, fructose, allulose or sucralose. Resting state functional MRI was performed before and after ingestion. Changes in Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) signal, functional network connectivity and voxel based connectivity by Eigenvector Centrality Mapping (ECM) were measured. Results Glucose and fructose led to significant decreased BOLD signal in the cingulate cortex, insula and the basal ganglia. Glucose led to a significant increase in eigen vector centrality throughout the brain and a significant decrease in eigen vector centrality in the midbrain. Sucralose and allulose had no effect on BOLD signal or network connectivity but sucralose did lead to a significant increase in eigen vector centrality values in the cingulate cortex, central gyri and temporal lobe. Discussion Taken together our findings show that even in a shake containing fat and protein, the type of sweetener can affect brain responses and might thus affect reward and satiety responses and feeding behavior. The sweet taste without the corresponding energy content of the non-nutritive sweeteners appeared to have only small effects on the brain. Indicating that the while ingestion of nutritive sugars could have a strong effect on feeding behavior, both in a satiety aspect as well as rewarding aspects, non-nutritive sweeteners appear to not have these effects. Trial registration This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov under number NCT02745730.

Bitter tastants and artificial sweeteners activate a subset of epithelial cells in acute tissue slices of the rat trachea

Bitter and sweet receptors (T2Rs and T1Rs) are expressed in many extra-oral tissues including upper and lower airways. To investigate if bitter tastants and artificial sweeteners could activate physiological responses in tracheal epithelial cells we performed confocal Ca2+ imaging recordings on acute tracheal slices. We stimulated the cells with denatonium benzoate, a T2R agonist, and with the artificial sweeteners sucralose, saccharin and acesulfame-K. To test cell viability we measured responses to ATP. We found that 39% of the epithelial cells responding to ATP also responded to bitter stimulation with denatonium benzoate. Moreover, artificial sweeteners activated different percentages of the cells, ranging from 5% for sucralose to 26% for saccharin, and 27% for acesulfame-K. By using carbenoxolone, a gap junction blocker, we excluded that responses were mainly mediated by Ca2+ waves through cell-to-cell junctions. Pharmacological experiments showed that both denatonium and artificial sweeteners induced a PLC-mediated release of Ca2+ from internal stores. In addition, bitter tastants and artificial sweeteners activated a partially overlapping subpopulation of tracheal epithelial cells. Our results provide new evidence that a subset of ATP-responsive tracheal epithelial cells from rat are activated by both bitter tastants and artificial sweeteners.

Effects of sweetener sucralose on diet preference, growth performance and hematological and biochemical parameters of weaned piglets.

ObjectiveTwo experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of dietary sucralose on diet preference and growth performance of weaned piglets, and a third experiment was a 28-d safety study to examine if high-dose sucralose could affect the health state of weaned piglets.MethodsIn experiment one, 48 piglets had free access to a corn-soybean based diet and the same diet supplemented with 150 mg/kg sucralose for 15 d. In experiment two, 180 piglets were blocked into 5 treatments with 6 replications. They were fed basal diets supplemented with 0, 75, 150, 225, and 300 mg/kg sucralose for 28 days. In experiment three, 108 piglets were randomly assigned to 3 treatments and fed diets supplemented with 0, 150 (suitable level), and 1,500 (ten-fold suitable level) mg/kg sucralose for 28 d.ResultsThe experiment 1 showed that piglets preferred (p<0.05) diets containing sucralose during experimental period. In experiment 2, piglets fed a diet supplemented with 150 mg/kg sucralose had a higher average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) than pigs in the control group and other treatment groups during the experiment period. The concentrations of sucralose over 150 mg/kg may decrease feed intake. However, no difference in feed conversion ratio was observed. In experiment 3, piglets fed diet supplemented with 150 mg/kg sucralose had a higher ADG and ADFI than that of pigs in the control group and 1,500 mg/kg treatment groups during the experiment period. Clinical blood metabolites, organ index and histological morphology were not significantly different between sucralose treatments.ConclusionSucralose can promote feed intake and thereby improve growth performance of weaned piglets. Moreover, inclusion of 1,500 mg/kg sucralose was demonstrated to have no observed adverse effects. Supplementing 150 mg/kg sucralose for weaned piglets is recommended in this study.

Isolation and Derivatization of Sucralose from an Artificial Sweetener to Provide a Hands-On Laboratory Experiment Emphasizing Synthesis and Purification

A laboratory experiment is detailed that entails the separation and derivatization of the artificial sweetener sucralose from a commercially available sweetener mixture. The experiment utilizes 1 g...

Activation of the sweet taste receptor T1R3 by sucralose attenuates VEGF-induced vasculogenesis in a cell model of the retinal microvascular endothelium

BackgroundOne of the most prevalent microvascular complications for patients with diabetes is diabetic retinopathy (DR) associated with increased retinal endothelial blood vessel formation. Treatments to reduce vascularisation in the retinal endothelium are linked to improved sight in patients with DR. Recently, we have demonstrated the novel protective role of the artificial sweetener, sucralose, and the sweet taste receptor, T1R3, in the pulmonary endothelium to reduce vascular leak. In the present study, we examined the role of sucralose and sweet taste receptors on vasculogenic processes (proliferation, migration, adhesion and tube formation) in a cell model of the retinal endothelium.MethodsWe exposed human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (RMVEC) to VEGF as an in vitro model of DR in the presence and absence of T1R3 agonist sucralose.ResultsIn RMVEC, we observed increased VEGF-induced cell proliferation, migration, adhesion and tube formation, which was significantly attenuated by exposure to the artificial sweetener sucralose. Following siRNA knockdown of the sweet taste receptor, T1R3, but not T1R2, the protective effect of sucralose on VEGF-induced RMVEC vasculogenic processes was blocked. We further demonstrate that sucralose attenuates VEGF-induced Akt phosphorylation to protect the retinal microvasculature.ConclusionThese studies are the first to demonstrate a protective effect of an artificial sweetener, through the sweet taste receptor T1R3, on VEGF-induced vasculogenesis in a retinal microvascular endothelial cell line.

Evaluating a chemical source-tracing suite for septic system nitrate in household wells

Reducing human and ecological risks of groundwater nitrate contamination requires understanding the source of nitrate. Land use practices, such as agriculture and residential development, can increase groundwater nitrate concentrations. This study evaluated a chemical source-tracing suite that paired analysis of agricultural herbicide metabolites and human wastewater constituents. The source-tracing suite was tested in an area subject to nitrate from both agriculture and on-site waste (“septic”) systems. Monitoring wells showed that agricultural contamination was deeper (>5 m) in the aquifer consistent with its origin a greater distance from wells and that on-site waste (“septic system”) contamination was shallower in the aquifer (<3 m). Repeated sampling of seventeen household wells showed evidence of both agricultural and on-site waste contamination in wells with higher nitrate concentrations. The artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame and the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole were the only septic system indicators consistently detected. Less persistent compounds, such as caffeine and acetaminophen, were never detected in the household wells indicating they were attenuated over the distance between septic system and well and reducing their utility as a tracer of septic system nitrate. Overall, there was a positive relationship between sucralose, acesulfame and nitrate in wells with low levels of agricultural contamination although the relationship varied between wells.

Sorvetes sabor maracujá elaborados com biomassa da banana verde e sucralose

O sorvete é uma excelente fonte de energia, um dos alimentos mais consumidos no mundo e tem a gordura e o açúcar como ingredientes primordiais de sua composição. Devido à procura do consumidor por alimentos mais saudáveis, a indústria alimentícia tem sido impulsionada a formular novos produtos que ofereçam qualidade e um bom valor nutricional. Considerando este contexto, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo desenvolver formulações de sorvetes substituindo a gordura vegetal hidrogenada pela biomassa da banana verde, e o açúcar (sacarose) pelo edulcorante sucralose. Para os sorvetes elaborados, foram realizadas as análises físicas (textura, derretimento, cor e °Brix) e físico-químicas (umidade pH, acidez, lipídeos, açúcares totais, açúcares redutores e cinzas). Os valores obtidos para a análise de umidade, pH, acidez e cinzas foram coerentes com a legislação para as formulações analisadas. Com relação ao teste de derretimento, os sorvetes elaborados apresentaram boa resistência. Para as análises de textura e overrum, as amostras que substituíram a gordura vegetal pela biomassa da banana verde e a sacarose pela sucralose, foram as que necessitaram de maior força para extrusão (parâmetros de textura elevados) e que também obtiveram maior incorporação de ar (overrum). Entre as diferenças observadas, pode-se constatar que a utilização da biomassa da banana verde intervém significativamente no conteúdo de lipídeos do sorvete bem como em seu arranjo estrutural. Os resultados encontrados para análise de lípideos foram três vezes menor para as formulações que utilizaram a biomassa da banana verde como substituto da gordura hidrogenada, o que comprova os benefícios nutricionais da polpa. Com relação à formulação que utilizou a sucralose como substituto da sacarose, ela obteve valores finais de açucares totais e açúcares redutores menores comparados à formulação padrão.

Studies on sensory and textural properties of milk cake using response surface methodology

Milk cake is one of the most popular traditional sweets of India especially popular in Northern and Central part of India. High sugar content in milk cake poses severe restriction in its consumption. Sucrose was successfully replaced with artificial sweetener sucralose along with addition of bulking agent maltodextrin to provide a characteristic texture to the product. The level of milk fat and sucralose were optimised using response surface methodology. Central composite rotatable design was used with two independent variables i.e. milk fat (3-6%) and sucralose (0.03-0.07%). The optimisation was done on the basis of sensory profile assessment and important textural parameters i.e. hardness and adhesiveness. Milk cake prepared with 6% milk fat and 0.07% sucralose level gave optimised product.