Use Of Sweeteners Research Articles

1621-P: Commercially Available Stevia-Based Sweetener, Antidiabetic or Toxic—An Ad Libitum Feeding Study in a Type 2 Diabetes Model of Rat

The use of non-nutritive sweeteners as sugar substitutes by overweight, obese and diabetic individuals has been increased rapidly in recent years, when Stevia is the most popular one not only due to its natural source of origin but also for it antidiabetic potential. However, the effects commercially available stevia-based NNS are not investigated at all. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of ad libitum consumption of commercially available stevia-based non-nutritive sweetener (NNS) in an experimentally-induced rat model of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Seven-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups, namely: Normal Control (NC), Diabetic Control (DBC) and Diabetic Stevia (DSTV). T2D was induced in the DBC and DSTV groups only. The control groups were received normal drinking water, whilst rats in the DSTV group were administered with stevia-containing NNS solution, at a concentration equivalent to the sweetness of 10% sucrose. After 13 week intervention, although food and fluid intake, body weight, weekly blood glucose, glucose tolerance, serum insulin, fructosamine, ALT, ALP, creatinine and brain, liver and pancreatic histopathology were not significantly affected; serum AST, LDH and CK-MB as well as heart and kidney histopathology were significantly deteriorated in stevia-based NNS consuming group compared to the DBC group. The data of this study suggest that uncontrolled consumption of stevia-based NNS has no significant antidiabetic effect but have some toxicological effects in an animal model of T2D. Hence, diabetic patients consuming stevia-based NNS should limit their daily intake. Disclosure S. Islam: None. S.N. Dlamini: None. Funding South African Sugar Association (Project 233)

Consumption of aspartame and other artificial sweeteners and risk of cancer in the Spanish multicase-control study (MCC-Spain).

Use of artificial sweeteners (AS) such as aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin and sucralose is widespread. We evaluated the association of use of aspartame and other AS with cancer. In total 1881 colorectal, 1510 breast, 972 prostate and 351 stomach cancer and 109 chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) cases and 3629 population controls from the Spanish Multicase-Control (MCC-Spain) study were recruited (2008-2013). The consumption of AS, from table-top sweeteners and artificially sweetened beverages, was assessed through a self-administered and validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Sex-specific quartiles among controls were determined to compare moderate consumers (<third quartile) and high consumers (≥ third quartile) vs non consumers (reference category), distinguishing aspartame-containing products and other AS. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted OR and 95%CI, and results were stratified by diabetes status. Overall, we found no associations between the consumption of aspartame or other AS and cancer. Among participants with diabetes, high consumption of other AS was associated with colorectal cancer (OR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.05-2.41, P trend = .03) and stomach cancer (OR = 2.27 [0.99-5.44], P trend = .06). High consumption of aspartame, was associated with stomach cancer (OR = 2.04 [0.7-5.4], P trend = .05), while a lower risk was observed for breast cancer (OR = 0.28 [0.08-0.83], P trend = .03). In some cancers, the number of cases in participants with diabetes were small and results should be interpreted cautiously. We did not find associations between use of AS and cancer, but found associations between high consumption of aspartame and other AS and different cancer types among participants with diabetes.

Maternal consumption and perinatal exposure to non-nutritive sweeteners: should we be concerned?

The context for this review is the rapid increase in the use of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) instead of sugar in foods and beverages, a situation so prevalent in some countries that consumers are finding it increasingly challenging to access foods without NNSs. The benefits of consuming NNSs on obesity and diabetes are now being questioned, and studies have shown that they may exert physiological activities, sometimes independently of sweet taste receptor stimulation. Few studies, limited mainly to North American and European countries, have described the consumption of NNSs by pregnant or lactating women and infants. Most focus on beverages rather than foods, but all agree that consumption levels have increased dramatically. Although some studies report a negative impact of NNSs on the risk of preterm birth, increased birth weight and decreased gestational age, the level of evidence is low. Several studies have also reported increased weight gain in infancy, associated with maternal NNS intake. Interestingly, several NNSs have been detected in amniotic fluid and breast milk, usually (but not always) at concentrations below their established detection limit in humans. Unfortunately, the impact of chronic exposure of the fetus/infant to low levels of multiple NNSs is unknown. In conclusion, there is a stark contrast between the galloping increase in the consumption of NNSs and the small number of studies evaluating their impact in at-risk groups such as pregnant and lactating women and infants. Clearly, more studies are needed, especially in Latin America and Asia, to fill these gaps and update recommendations.

Analysis of The Effects of Artificial Sweeteners on Diabetes and Obesity

With the gradual expansion of the population of diabetes and obesity, type II diabetes is more common in obese patients, and the most worrying is the increasing number of type II diabetes among adolescents and young adults. People have had to look for ways to stop or delay the onset of diabetes, and artificial sweeteners, which cause good sweetness properties and high safety without the associated high-calorie content of sugar, are widely used in the food sector as the main way to address high sugar food intake. However, despite the very widespread use of artificial sweeteners, obesity and diabetes have not been reduced as expected, and even their numbers continue to increase rapidly. In recent years, with more in-depth research on artificial sweeteners, it is gradually found that artificial sweeteners have many adverse effects on diabetes and obesity. This article describes consumers in more detail from different perspectives on the effects of artificial sweeteners and concludes that artificial sweeteners do affect insulin resistance and gut microbes, which are detrimental to diabetics and obese people. However, whether all artificial sweeteners have a significant adverse effect on the human body needs to be further investigated.

Effect of Non-Nutritive Sweeteners on the Gut Microbiota.

The human gut microbiota, a complex community of microorganisms living in the digestive tract, consists of more than 1500 species distributed in more than 50 different phyla, with 99% of bacteria coming from about 30-40 species. The colon alone, which contains the largest population of the diverse human microbiota, can harbor up to 100 trillion bacteria. The gut microbiota is essential in maintaining normal gut physiology and health. Therefore, its disruption in humans is often associated with various pathological conditions. Different factors can influence the composition and function of the gut microbiota, including host genetics, age, antibiotic treatments, environment, and diet. The diet has a marked effect, impacting the gut microbiota composition, beneficially or detrimentally, by altering some bacterial species and adjusting the metabolites produced in the gut environment. With the widespread use of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) in the diet, recent investigations have focused on their effect on the gut microbiota as a mediator of the potential impact generated by gastrointestinal-related disturbances, such as insulin resistance, obesity, and inflammation. We summarized the results from pre-clinical and clinical studies published over the last ten years that examined the single effects of the most consumed NNS: aspartame, acesulfame-K, sucralose, and saccharin. Pre-clinical studies have given conflicting results for various reasons, including the administration method and the differences in metabolism of the same NNS among the different animal species. A dysbiotic effect of NNS was observed in some human trials, but many other randomized controlled trials reported a lack of significant impacts on gut microbiota composition. These studies differed in the number of subjects involved, their dietary habits, and their lifestyle; all factors related to the baseline composition of gut microbiota and their response to NNS. The scientific community still has no unanimous consensus on the appropriate outcomes and biomarkers that can accurately define the effects of NNS on the gut microbiota.

Scientific consensus on food sweeteners (2022)

Sweeteners are a kind of food additives, which can give food a sweet taste with little or no energy and provide a variety of options for people who have sugar control needs. Due to their stable process performance and good safety, they have been widely used in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries worldwide in the past 100 years. The safety of sweeteners is based on strict food safety risk assessment, which has been affirmed by many international organizations, national/regional food safety risk assessment agencies and food safety management authorities. The proper use of sweeteners can provide sweetness, be beneficial to control energy intake, reduce the risk of dental caries, and provide more food choices for people with hyperglycemia or diabetes.

ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ НАТУРАЛЬНОГО САХАРОЗАМЕНИТЕЛЯ В ПРОИЗВОДСТВЕ ЗЕФИРА

As part of the healthy nutrition policy, which is popular today, there is a demand for new food products with functional and therapeutic properties, so the use of natural sweeteners in pastille confectionery prod-ucts makes it possible to reduce both the total calorie content of the product and consumption of sugar in general, negatively affecting the human body. The purpose of the work is to develop a recipe and technol-ogy for the production of marshmallows using a natural sweetener. The relevance lies in the use of natural sweeteners in pastille confectionery products to reduce both the total calorie content of the product and the consumption of sugar in general, which negatively affects the human body. The main distinguishing feature of marshmallow is its foamy, cellular structure, the use of egg white and fruit and berry raw mate-rials in the recipe. The technology of marshmallow production can be represented as the basis for the pro-duction of functional therapeutic and prophylactic products using non-traditional raw materials and ap-proved food additives. To build a mathematical model when developing a marshmallow recipe with a sweetener using the simplex method, we used the MS Office2019 program: MS Word, MS Excel, a third-party add-in integrated into MS Excel for simplex analysis by the SOLVE method (Search for a solution). In the course of the work, restrictions were established on the main components of the recipe and the de-sired result, in the form of a dry matter content of at least 85%, at which the necessary marshmallow structure would be formed. The result of building a mathematical model was an optimized marshmallow recipe. Marshmallow manufacturing process - 8 hours at t = 20‒25ºС.

Sugary solutions

Sugary solutions

Impact of acute consumption of beverages containing plant-based or alternative sweetener blends on postprandial appetite, food intake, metabolism, and gastro-intestinal symptoms: Results of the SWEET beverages trial

Project SWEET examined the barriers and facilitators to the use of non-nutritive sweeteners and sweetness enhancers (hereafter “S&SE”) alongside potential risks/benefits for health and sustainability. The Beverages trial was a double-blind multi-centre, randomised crossover trial within SWEET evaluating the acute impact of three S&SE blends (plant-based and alternatives) vs. a sucrose control on glycaemic response, food intake, appetite sensations and safety after a carbohydrate-rich breakfast meal. The blends were: mogroside V and stevia RebM; stevia RebA and thaumatin; and sucralose and acesulfame-potassium (ace-K). At each 4 h visit, 60 healthy volunteers (53% male; all with overweight/obesity) consumed a 330 mL beverage with either an S&SE blend (0 kJ) or 8% sucrose (26 g, 442 kJ), shortly followed by a standardised breakfast (∼2600 or 1800 kJ with 77 or 51 g carbohydrates, depending on sex). All blends reduced the 2-h incremental area-under-the-curve (iAUC) for blood insulin (p < 0.001 in mixed-effects models), while the stevia RebA and sucralose blends reduced the glucose iAUC (p < 0.05) compared with sucrose. Post-prandial levels of triglycerides plus hepatic transaminases did not differ across conditions (p > 0.05 for all). Compared with sucrose, there was a 3% increase in LDL-cholesterol after stevia RebA-thaumatin (p < 0.001 in adjusted models); and a 2% decrease in HDL-cholesterol after sucralose-ace-K (p < 0.01). There was an impact of blend on fullness and desire to eat ratings (both p < 0.05) and sucralose-acesulfame K induced higher prospective intake vs sucrose (p < 0.001 in adjusted models), but changes were of a small magnitude and did not translate into energy intake differences over the next 24 h. Gastro-intestinal symptoms for all beverages were mostly mild. In general, responses to a carbohydrate-rich meal following consumption of S&SE blends with stevia or sucralose were similar to sucrose.

Molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor for highly selective and sensitive determination of artificial sweetener Acesulfame-K

The excess use of artificial sweeteners poses a serious issue to the environment and human health. Acesulfame-K (Ace-K) is a non-nutritive artificial sweetener excessively used as an alternative sugar substitute in various foods and beverages. Here a simple, selective and rapid method to determine Ace-K in dietary products is proposed. In this study, a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) based electrochemical sensor is designed for the sensitive and selective determination of Ace-K. MIP was developed by the electropolymerization of ortho-phenylenediamine (o-PD) thin film around template molecules (Ace-K) on a glassy carbon electrode. Various parameters such as deposition cycle, template removal and rebinding parameters were optimized for sensor fabrication. The sensor was characterized after each stage of fabrication using cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis. The MIP sensor exhibited wide linear range for the determination of Ace-K from 0.1 to 17.0 μM. The developed sensor attained the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.35 µM and 1.2 µM, respectively. The applicability of the proposed sensor was examined for Ace-K determination in real samples. The MIP sensor exhibited excellent selectivity, repeatability, stability and commercialization potential for Ace-K detection.

Environmental life cycle assessment of production of the high intensity sweetener steviol glycosides from Stevia rebaudiana leaf grown in Europe: The SWEET project

PurposeThere is an increasing interest in the use of non-nutritive sweeteners to replace added sugar in food and beverage products for reasons of improving consumer health. Much work has been done to understand safety of sweeteners, but very little on sustainability. To address that gap, this study presents the results of a life cycle assessment (LCA) of production of rebaudioside A 60%, 95% pure (RA60) steviol glycoside mix from Stevia rebaudiana leaf grown in Europe.MethodsAn attributional cradle-to-factory-gate life cycle assessment was conducted on growing of stevia leaves and extraction of steviol glycosides in Europe. Primary data were used from a case study supply chain. Results are reported in impact categories from the ReCiPe 2016 (H) method, with focus given to global warming potential, freshwater eutrophication, water consumption, and land use. Impacts are expressed both in terms of production mass and sweetness equivalence, a common metric for understanding high intensity sweetener potency. Sweetness equivalence of RA60 is typically 200 to 300 times that of sugar. Comparison of environmental impact is made to sugar (sucrose) produced from both cane and beets. The research is part of the EU project SWEET (sweeteners and sweetness enhancers: impact on health, obesity, safety, and sustainability).Results and discussionGlobal warming potential for production of RA60 was found to be 20.25 kgCO2-eq/kgRA60 on a mass basis and 0.081 kgCO2-eq/kgSE on a sweetness equivalence basis. Field production of stevia leaves was found to be the main source of impact for most impact categories, and for all four focus categories. Extraction of the RA60 was the main source of impact for the others. Leaf processing and seedling propagation were minor contributors to life cycle impact. Removal of international transport from the supply chain reduced global warming potential by 18.8%. Compared with sugar on a sweetness equivalence basis, RA60 has approximately 5.7% to 10.2% the impact for global warming potential, 5.6% to 7.2% the impact for land use, and is lower across most other impact categories.ConclusionThis is the first LCA of steviol glycoside mix RA60 produced from leaf in Europe. The results indicate that RA60 can be used to reduce environmental impact of providing a sweet taste by replacing sugar across all impact categories. However, it is important to note that specific formulations in which RA60 is used will have a bearing on the final environmental impact of any food or beverage products. For solid foods, this requires further research.

Use of artificial sweeteners and caffeine in a population of Hanoi: An assessment by wastewater-based epidemiology

Monitoring the consumption of artificial sweeteners in the population is essential to help public health authorities understand the level of sugar consumption. There is a gap in knowledge of patterns and levels of artificial sweetener consumption in Vietnam. Using wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), this study aims to evaluate the use of artificial sweeteners in an urban population in Hanoi, Vietnam. A total of 184 wastewater samples were collected at two sampling sites in an urban canal, receiving sewage from over 400,000 people in three different periods between 2018 and 2020. The population normalized per capita consumption of the five detected artificial sweeteners varied from 0.87 mg d−1 p−1 (sucralose) to 5.2 mg d−1 p−1 (aspartame). The daily consumption of artificial sweeteners was found to be stable throughout the week, however the consumption of artificial sweeteners was influenced by season with higher consumption in summer. Significant correlations (p < 0.01) were found among levels of artificial sweeteners and caffeine in urban canal samples, suggesting these chemicals had common sources. Population-weighted consumption load of artificial sweeteners and caffeine was compared in Vietnam, China and Australia, and the per capita consumption load mainly depended on the habitual of tea/coffee drinking in different countries. This was the first study that provided information on the artificial sweetener consumption by wastewater analysis in Vietnam. However, several sources of uncertainty (sample collection, population estimation, other sources of artificial sweeteners in wastewater, etc.) were acknowledged in this study. Further investigations on the spatial-temporal variation of artificial sweetener consumption with more intensive sampling scheme in Vietnam are recommended.

Association between non-nutritive sweetener consumption and liver enzyme levels in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

The use of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) is dramatically increasing in food commodities, and their effects on biochemical parameters have been the subject of great controversy. Liver enzymes as markers of liver injury may be helpful measures of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the outcomes of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) suggest their associations with NNSs are contentious. The current study was designed to provide a GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs studying the consequences of NNS consumption on ALT, AST, and GGT concentrations (ie, the 3 main liver enzymes in adults). Scopus, PubMed, and EMBASE were searched for relevant studies up to April 2021, with no time and language limitations. Two independent researchers extracted information from qualified studies, and a third researcher rechecked it. Of 3212 studies, 10 studies that enrolled a total of 854 volunteers were included. A random-effects or fixed-effects model was utilized to calculate weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity between studies was evaluated using Cochran's Q test and quantified using the I2 statistic. The pooled results demonstrated that, compared with control groups, NNS intake led to nonsignificant reductions in ALT (WMD: -.78, 95% CI: -2.14, .57, P = .25) and GGT (WMD: -.21, 95% CI: -1.46, 1.04, P = .74). Also, a small nonsignificant increasing effect on AST level was found (WMD: .02, 95% CI: -1.26, 1.30, P = .97). NNS significantly reduced AST levels in type 2 diabetes patients when subgroup analyses were performed. Also, in trials with ≥24-week intervention or studies that utilized stevioside for intervention, a significant reducing effect on ALT level was observed. The results of this study showed that NNS intake has no significant effect on liver enzyme levels in adults. PROSPERO registration no. CRD42021250067.

Prospects for the use of sweeteners in the production of pastille confectionery

Data on the current health condition of the population convincingly proves the need to reduce the caloric content of the diet, reducing the amount of added sugar and animal fats in products. However, people cannot give up confectionery and sweet dishes, which have a positive effect on the feeling of completion of a meal and mood. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to develop a recipe and marshmallow technology with a full replacement of sugar for erythritol. Moreover, the author partially replaced the traditional mashed apple with black currant puree in the marshmallow recipe to improve organoleptic characteristics and increase the content of essential nutrients. The author also studied the effect of erythritol and black currant puree on the marshmallow mass and finished products quality parameters. The author carried out the research using commonly accepted methods. The author experimentally proved a positive effect of replacing apple puree with 40% black currant puree on the quality indicators of semi-finished and finished products. The author substantiated the possibility of replacing sugar with erythritol and investigated the addition of the FitParad No. 10 sweetener mixture to enhance the sweetness of the finished product. Considering the results of the research, the author has developed a recipe and technology for sugar- free white marshmallows. It is proved that marshmallow based on erythritol as a sugar substitute is not available according to literature data and market analysis of pastry confectionery products.

Сахар и подсластители в детском питании

Obesity is one of the most significant non-communicable diseases of our time. Among the key causes of its development is the stereotype of modern human diet with its inherent excessive intake of “critical” nutrients, in particular simple carbohydrates. The possibility of reducing the consumption of added sugars by replacing them with non-nutritive sweeteners is discussed, including in the organization of child nutrition. The interest in non-nutritive sweeteners stems from their lack of energy value and glycemic index while being able to provide a sweet taste. This article presents a review of the literature on the use of sweeteners in the diet of children and adolescents. The current classification of sweeteners, their physical and chemical properties, data of clinical studies on the effectiveness of using non-nutritive sweeteners in the diet of children and adolescents, including their influence on eating behavior, metabolism, and body weight dynamics, are presented. Nowadays most authors consider it inappropriate to include non-nutritive sweeteners in the diet of healthy children, which is reflected in domestic and international recommendations. The efficacy and safety of using non-nutritive sweeteners in children’s diets require further controlled scientific studies involving large groups of children Key words: obesity, sweeteners, children, body weight

Development of diffusive gradients in thin-films with mixed binding gels for in situ monitoring of artificial sweeteners in waters

The extensive use of artificial sweeteners (ASs) has raised concerns regarding their presence, fate, and detrimental effects in water resources.

Reformulation of Top-Selling Processed and Ultra-Processed Foods and Beverages in the Peruvian Food Supply after Front-of-Package Warning Label Policy.

Front-of-package warning label (FOPWL) policies incentivize the food industry to reduce the content of regulated nutrients in products. We explored changes in the content of nutrients of concern (sugar, saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium) and the percentage of products in the Peruvian food supply that would carry a FOPWL before and after Peru’s implementation of FOPWLs. Longitudinal data on the top-selling foods and beverages (n = 94) were collected at three time points: three months before the implementation of the policy, four months after, and two years after. Using the nutritional information declared on products’ labels, we compared quantities of nutrients of concern and the percentage of foods that would carry a FOPWL at each time point. Between the first and the third data collection, a decrease in the median sugar content of beverages was observed (from 9.0 to 5.9 g/100 mL, p = 0.005), accompanied by an increase in the use of nonnutritive sweeteners. This change drove the reduction of the percentage of beverages that would carry a FOPWL (from 59 to 31%, p = 0.011). Among foods, decreases were observed in saturated fat (from 6.7 to 5.9 g/100 g, p = 0.002). The percentage of foods that would carry a FOPWL according to their nutritional profile declined from before to after implementation of the policy (from 82 to 62%, p < 0.001). The study shows that the industry reformulated products in Peru after implementation of its FOPWL policy.

Dysbiotic Gut Microbiota Modulation by Aronia Fruits Extract Administration.

The administration of chokeberry extract in vitro in the GIS1 system was evaluated for the modulation capacity of the dysbiotic pattern resulting from the consumption of stevia. The microbial pattern determined by molecular method, the metabolomic one (fatty acids), the evolution of the antioxidant status, and the cytotoxic effect were determined comparatively for six months. This study presented for the first time that Aronia extract has a strong antimicrobial effect but also a presence of new organic acids that can be used as a biomarker. The functional supplement had the impact of a gradual increase in antioxidant status (DPPH scavenging activity) for up to three months and a subsequent decrease correlated with the reduction of the microbial load (especially for Enterobacteriaceae). The effect on metabolomic activity was specific, with butyric acid being generally unaffected (0.6-0.8 mg/mL) by the antimicrobial effect manifested after three months of administration. The pH was strongly acidic, corresponding to the constant presence of maximum values for acetic and lactic acid. The non-selective elimination of a part of the microbiota could also be correlated with a decrease in metabolomic efficiency. The results in the GIS1 system indicated for the first time that the controlled use of this extract had a pronounced antimicrobial and cytotoxic effect. This has helped to correct the dysbiotic pattern that results after the long-term use of sweeteners based on an increase of 0.2 log UFC/mL for favorable strains.

Aspartame consumption during pregnancy impairs placenta growth in mice through sweet taste receptor-reactive oxygen species-dependent pathway

The prevalence of obesity has risen dramatically over recent years, and so has the prevalence of adverse obesity-associated pregnancy outcomes. To combat obesity, the calorie contents of many foods and beverages may be reduced by the use of artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame. However, animal studies suggest that aspartame and its metabolites may exhibit toxicity, and the effects of aspartame on pregnancy are largely unknown. In this study, we treated pregnant mice with aspartame by oral gavage and found that the treatment decreased fasting blood glucose level, whereas systolic blood pressure was elevated. Importantly, the aspartame-treated animals also had low placenta and fetus weights, as well as reduced thickness of the placenta decidua layer. Moreover, aspartame decreased the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition proteins and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in mouse placentae. In order to clarify the mechanisms though which aspartame affects placenta, we performed experiments on 3A-sub-E trophoblasts. In the cells, aspartame treatments induced cell cycle arrest and reduced the proliferation rate, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration activity and invasion activity. We also found that aspartame increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels to hyper-activate Akt and downregulate MnSOD expression. Pretreatment with antioxidants or sweet taste receptor inhibitors reversed the effects of aspartame on trophoblast function. We also found that the aspartame metabolite phenylalanine similarly induced ROS production and affected proliferation of trophoblasts. Taken together, our data suggest that aspartame consumption during pregnancy may impact the structure, growth and function of the placenta via sweet taste receptor-mediated stimulation of oxidative stress.

No Association between Low-Calorie Sweetener (LCS) Use and Overall Cancer Risk in the Nationally Representative Database in the US: Analyses of NHANES 1988–2018 Data and 2019 Public-Use Linked Mortality Files

Low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) serve to replace added sugars in beverages and foods. The present goal was to explore any potential links between LCS use and cancer risk using the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1988-2018 linked to 2019 Public-Use Linked Mortality Files. Analyses were based on dietary intakes from 1988-1994 NHANES (n = 15,948) and 1999-2018 NHANES (n = 48,754) linked to mortality data. The 1988-1994 NHANES separated aspartame from saccharin consumption; later data did not. LCS consumers were more likely to be older, female, non-Hispanic White, and with higher education and incomes compared to nonconsumers. LCS consumers were less likely to smoke and had higher HEI-2015 scores indicating higher-quality diets. In the cross-sectional NHANES data, LCS use was associated with higher BMI and higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes. There was no indication that aspartame, saccharin, or all LCS had any impact on overall cancer mortality. By using nonconsumers as the reference group, the hazard ratio (95th confidence interval, CI) group trend for tertiles of LCS use for 1988-1994 for aspartame was 1.00 (0.89-1.12), for saccharin 0.96 (0.79-1.10), and for 1988-2018 for all LCS was 0.92 (0.88-1.101). The null group trend effects were seen for analyses stratified by age/gender. The present analyses confirm past US-based reports that LCS use was associated with higher socioeconomic status, lower prevalence of smoking, and generally higher-quality diets. No association with cancer mortality was observed.