Sucralose

Sucralose is an artificial and noncaloric sweetener, not broken down by the body.

Sweetener Intake by Rats Selectively Bred for Differential Saccharin Intake: Sucralose, Stevia, and Acesulfame Potassium.[Pubmed:28334357]

Chem Senses. 2017 Jun 1;42(5):381-392.

Behavioral responses to sweeteners have been used to study the evolution, mechanisms, and functions of taste. Occidental low and high saccharin consuming rats (respectively, LoS and HiS) have been selectively outbred on the basis of saccharin intake and are a valuable tool for studying variation among individuals in sweetener intake and its correlates. Relative to HiS rats, LoS rats consume smaller amounts of all nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners tested to date, except aspartame. The lines also differ in intake of the commercial product Splenda; the roles of Sucralose and saccharides in the difference are unclear. The present study extends prior work by examining intake of custom mixtures of Sucralose, maltodextrin, and sugars and Splenda by LoS and HiS rats (Experiment 1A-1D), stevia and a constituent compound (rebaudioside A; Experiment 2A-2E), and acesulfame potassium tested at several concentrations or with 4 other sweeteners at one concentration each (Experiment 3A-3B). Results indicate that aversive side tastes limit intake of Splenda, stevia, and acesulfame potassium, more so among LoS rats than among HiS rats. In addition, regression analyses involving 5 sweeteners support the idea that both sweetness and bitterness are needed to account for intake of nonnutritive sweeteners, more so among LoS rats. These findings contribute to well developed and emerging literatures on sweetness and domain-general processes related to gustation.

Widespread sucralose exposure in a randomized clinical trial in healthy young adults.[Pubmed:28228424]

Am J Clin Nutr. 2017 Apr;105(4):820-823.

Background: Low-calorie sweeteners (LCSs) are found in many foods and beverages, but consumers may not realize their presence, and their role in appetite, weight, and health is controversial. Although consumption limits based on toxicologic safety are well established, the threshold required to exert clinically relevant metabolic effects is unknown.Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether individuals who do not report consumption of LCSs can be correctly characterized as "unexposed" and to investigate whether instructions to avoid LCSs are effective in minimizing exposure.Design: Eighteen healthy 18- to 35-y-old "nonconsumers" (<1 food or beverage with LCSs/mo) enrolled in a 2-wk trial designed to evaluate the effects of LCSs on the gut microbiota. The trial consisted of 3 visits. At baseline, participants were counseled extensively about avoiding LCSs. After the run-in, participants were randomly assigned to consume diet soda containing Sucralose or carbonated water (control) 3 times/d for 1 wk. Food diaries were maintained throughout the study, and a spot urine sample was collected at each visit.Results: At baseline, 8 participants had Sucralose in their urine (29.9-239.0 ng/mL; mean +/- SD: 111.4 +/- 91.5 ng/mL). After the run-in, Sucralose was found in 8 individuals (2 of whom did not have detectable Sucralose at baseline) and ranged from 25.0 to 1062.0 ng/mL (mean +/- SD: 191.7 +/- 354.2 ng/mL). Only 1 participant reported consumption of an LCS-containing food before her visit. After the intervention, Sucralose was detected in 3 individuals randomly assigned to receive carbonated water (26-121 ng/mL; mean +/- SD: 60.7 +/- 52.4 ng/mL).Conclusions: Despite the selection of healthy volunteers with minimal reported LCS consumption, more than one-third were exposed to Sucralose at baseline and/or before randomization, and nearly half were exposed after assignment to the control. This shows that instructions to avoid LCSs are not effective and that nondietary sources (e.g., personal care products) may be important contributors to overall exposure. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02877186.

Simultaneous determination of sodium saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K and sucralose in food consumed in Korea using high-performance liquid chromatography and evaporative light-scattering detection.[Pubmed:28277180]

Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2017 May;34(5):666-677.

Four artificial sweeteners, i.e., sodium saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K and Sucralose, are permitted for use in Korea, and recent regulatory changes have expanded the number of food categories in which they may be used. Four artificial sweeteners were determined simultaneously in more than 900 food items from 30 food categories that are commercially available in Korean markets, including both domestic and imported products, using high-performance liquid chromatography and evaporative light-scattering detection (ELSD). A new procedure using 75% acetone to remove fat was applied for sample preparation. The levels detected in all samples were below the maximum permitted use levels established in Korea. Despite the increased number of categories, the only one in which sodium saccharin was newly found was takju, an alcoholic beverage. Sodium saccharin was not found in other beverages in the food analysis or in the food label survey, even though its use was reported in a previous study, suggesting that consumer preference outweighs regulatory decisions. When the analytical results were combined with food-consumption data obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-14, the estimated daily intakes of all the sweeteners were considered safe.