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Artificial Sweeteners That Substance Or a Viable Are Used in Food and Drink Alternative to Sugar, There Across the World

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@gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk @gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk Executive Summary 3 Culinary Syrups 16 Introduction 4 Glucose-Fructose Corn 16 Syrup Intense Sweeteners 5 High Fructose Corn 16 - 17 Aspartame 6 - 8 Syrup Neotame 8 - 9 Use in Food 17 - 18 Saccharin 9 Production 18 Acesulfame Potassium 9 - 10 Consumption of 19 Sucralose 11 - 12 High Fructose Rebiana 12 - 13 Corn Syrup Bulk Sweeteners 14 Position Statement 20 What’s the difference 15 References 21 between fructose and normal sugar? 2 @gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk There is much concern by consumers over the use of sweeteners in our food and there is great debate over whether the disadvantages of using sugar, such as tooth decay and obesity, are seen as less important as the chance of getting cancer from sweeteners. This briefing contains reviews of evidence from UK and European Scientific Committees that say there is no evidence that sweeteners at their present rate of consumption have any effect on our health. Helen Turner 3 @gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk Introduction acceptability of sweeteners. Whether you believe that There are a number of natural sweeteners are a dangerous and artificial sweeteners that substance or a viable are used in food and drink alternative to sugar, there across the world. really is no avoiding them. This document will establish Sweeteners can be found in an evidence-based position soft drinks, processed foods, by identifying and exploring cakes, chewing gum and even the sweeteners that are used toothpaste. in the UK, discuss whether But much like any alternative; there are any harmful effects sweeteners have met some and the future role they may resistance, being linked to play in our diet as we attempt cancer, increased risk of as a nation to reduce our stroke and high blood sugar consumption. pressure amongst others. None of these claims have stuck and sales of sugar-free products have been increasing for decades inferring the consumer 4 @gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk As their name implies, intense sweeteners are many times sweeter than sugar. Examples include saccharin, aspartame and acesulfame K (ace-K) which are up to 200 times sweeter than sucrose (normal table sugar). Sucralose and neotame have been more recently approved and are about 600 and 7000 times sweeter than sugar respectively. Blends of sweeteners (e.g. ace-K/aspartame) can also be used particularly in soft drinks to achieve particular taste profiles. Their use can result in a different ‘mouth feel’ to sugar. 5 @gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk Aspartame (e.g. that aspartame and its Nutrasweet) breakdown products are safe for human consumption at Aspartame is made by joining current levels of exposure. two protein components, Members of the Panel on aspartic acid and Food Additives and Nutrient phenylalanine, and a small Sources added to Food (ANS) amount of methanol. Aspartic Panel have concluded that acid and phenylalanine are the current Acceptable Daily the building blocks of protein Intake (ADI) of 40 mg/kg of and are found naturally in all body weight per day is protein-containing foods, protective for the general including meats, grains and population. dairy products. Methanol is Consumption surveys confirm found naturally in the body that intakes of low calorie and in many foods such as sweeteners are well below fruit and vegetable juices. the respective ADI values in The EFSA’s main conclusion is all population groups. 6 @gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk This is equivalent to 80 relevant ADI value. sachets (one sachet equals In patients suffering from the 40mg) every day for life or 14 medical condition cans of soft drink every day phenylketonuria (PKU), the [1]. ADI is not applicable, as they There have been more require strict adherence to a studies on the intakes of this diet low in phenylalanine (an sweetener than any other amino acid found in proteins). food additive. Studies have With respect to pregnancy, been performed in most the panel noted that there countries around the world was no risk to the developing including the UK [2]. In all foetus from exposure to cases the average intakes of phenylalanine derived from all sweeteners by all groups aspartame at the current ADI (including children and (with the exception of women diabetics) are well below the suffering from PKU) [3]. 7 @gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk However PKU is rare—it is extremely potent, rapidly estimated to affect 1 in every metabolised, completely 10,000 babies born in the UK. eliminated and does not The opinion makes clear that appear to accumulate in the the breakdown products of body. aspartame (phenylalanine, It is chemically similar to the methanol and aspartic acid) artificial sweetener are also naturally present in aspartame, but is used at other foods. The contribution vastly lower levels and is of breakdown products of more stable. It reduces the aspartame to the overall production of phenylalanine dietary exposure to these during metabolism of the substances is low. chemical and as a result it is Neotame safe for consumption by those who suffer from Neotame is an artificial phenylketonuria. sweetener made by Over 100 scientific studies Nutrasweet that is between were done to establish the 7,000 and 13,000 times safety of neotame. A sweeter than sugar and comprehensive battery of approximately 30 to 60 times safety studies in animals and greater than that of humans demonstrated no aspartame, depending upon adverse effects from the food application. In the neotame. European Union, it is known by the E number E961. It is People of all ages, including 8 @gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk pregnant or breastfeeding about a particular additive. women, teens and children, Some years ago saccharin was and people with diabetes can claimed to be a carcinogen. enjoy products sweetened Researchers had found that with neotame while when it was fed to rats in maintaining a healthier diet. huge quantities, the rates of The EFSA Panel established cancer in the rats increased. an ADI of 0-2mg/kg of body We are very unlikely to eat weight per day. that much saccharin and so it Saccharin (e.g. Sweet ‘n is unlikely to cause cancer in Low) people, but far fewer foods contain it now than did just a Most additives are not few years ago. thought to affect cancer risk. Colours, flavours and Acesulfame Potassium sweeteners are constantly This non-nutritive artificial investigated by researchers sweetener is approximately and if any are thought to be a 200 times sweeter than sugar real risk, they are withdrawn. at low concentrations but Sometimes there is a scare tends to become bitter at higher levels. It is normally used in sweetener blends to produce a more sugar-like taste than that of any of the low calorie sweeteners alone. 9 @gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk The ingredient also helps the of the European Union. blend retain its sweetness Acesulfame potassium has during baking or heat been thoroughly tested in processing. several long-term animal Acesulfame potassium helps studies. The tests, which used blends sustain their amounts of the ingredient sweetness over time, thereby that are far higher than a increasing the shelf life of person would normally products. This sweetener is consume, clearly found no not metabolised or stored in evidence of cancer or the body. After it is tumours [4]. consumed, it is quickly The ADI has been set at absorbed by the body and 15mg/kg of body weight per then rapidly excreted. day. For a 60 kg person, this Acesulfame potassium has corresponds to 900mg of been approved for use in 90 acesulfame potassium every countries including the day for a lifetime or United Kingdom, Germany, approximately 200 grams Australia and Canada. It has (one-half pound) of sugar been reviewed and found equivalent each day. At safe by the Joint Expert current average usage levels Committee on Food Additives in beverages, for example, of the World Health this amount would Organisation and the correspond roughly to two Scientific Committee for Food gallons of beverage daily. 10 @gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk Sucralose (Splenda) conclusively determined that sucralose is safe for everyone Sucralose is the only low- to consume. Sucralose was calorie sweetener made from approved by the joint FAO/ sugar. It is about 600 times WHO Expert Committee on sweeter than sugar and can Food Additives (JECFA) in be used like sugar in a broad 1990 and also by prominent range of foods. Sucralose can regulatory authorities be used in place of sugar to throughout the world, and eliminate or reduce calories has been consumed by in a wide variety of products, millions of people including beverages, baked internationally since 1991. goods, desserts, dairy products, canned fruits, Sucralose is derived from syrups and condiments. sugar through a patented, multistep process that selectively substitutes three chlorine atoms for three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule. The tightly bound chlorine atoms Sucralose (for example create a molecular structure Splenda) was discovered in that is exceptionally stable 1976. More than 100 and is approximately 600 scientific studies conducted times sweeter than sugar. over a 20 year period have Although sucralose is made 11 @gulpNOW www.giveuplovingpop.org.uk from sugar, the body does not sugar or as a carbohydrate. It recognise it as sugar or is not metabolised by the another carbohydrate. The body for energy and does not sucralose molecule passes affect blood glucose levels. through the body unchanged, Sucralose has no effect on it is not metabolised, and is blood glucose utilisation, eliminated after carbohydrate metabolism or consumption. insulin production. Sucralose Studies have shown that the can be used by everyone, amount of sucralose which including pregnant women might be consumed by and breastfeeding mothers individuals, even if consumed and children.
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