Artificial Sweeteners Tyler Banks April 24, 2006.
-
Upload
reginald-blake -
Category
Documents
-
view
224 -
download
0
Transcript of Artificial Sweeteners Tyler Banks April 24, 2006.
Artificial Sweeteners
Tyler Banks
April 24, 2006
Overview
5 approved artificial sweeteners Specifics about aspartame Aspartame chemistry Aspartame controversy Questions/Comments
Artificial Sweeteners
5 Artificial sweeteners have been approved in the United States: Saccharin Sucralose Acesulfame potassium Neotame Aspartame
Saccharin“…saccharin’s safety is supported by 30 human studies, a century of use, the approval of the World Health Organization and 100 countries
around the world, as well as leading health groups.”
Oldest artificial sweetener; discovered in 1879 300 times sweeter than sucrose Sweet’N Low Studies show correlation between saccharin use and
cancer
Sucralose
“Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar”
Discovered in 1976 Splenda Stable at high temperatures 500-600 times sweeter than sucrose
Acesulfame Potassium
“Around 90 studies have been conducted on this sweetener, with no documented health risks.”
Discovered in 1967 Approved in the United States since 1988 Sunett, Sweet One 100-200 times sweeter than sucrose
Neotame
8,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sucrose Approved in July 2002 Rapidly eliminated through normal body
processes
Aspartame
Discovered in 1965 by James M. Schlatter
Nutrasweet Equal Natrataste Ingredient of approximately
5,000 consumer food and beverages
180-200 times sweeter than sucrose
History of Aspartame
Discovered in 1965 On market since 1979 Since 1967, more than 200 studies have been done
on aspartame 1983-approved for use in carbonated beverages 1993-approved for use in baked goods and other
beverages 1996-approved for use in all foods 1992-patent expired
Products Containing Aspartame
Diet Soda Chewing Gum Breakfast cereals Vitamins Drugs Table-top sweeteners
Benefits of Aspartame
Low calories Diabetic use Reduces tooth decay Similar taste to sugar Small amount needed
for a sweet taste Enhances and extends
flavor
Disadvantages of Aspartame
Not stable at high temperatures Not proven safe for children
• Contains methanol, which can affect vision• FDA controversy
Chemistry of Aspartame
Composed of 2
amino acids
Breaks down into Methanol Aspartic Acid Phenylalanine
Methanol
Aspartic Acid Phenylalanine
Methanol
10wt% of aspartame is broken down into methanol
Methanol is converted to formaldehyde Scientists are unsure if this is a problem
Methanol: A Problem??
Not enough methanol absorbed to cause toxicity
Already a by-product of human metabolism More methanol in alcoholic beverages and
fruit juices than the amount derived from aspartame ingestion
Methanol: A Problem??
Alcoholic beverages and fruit juices always contain protective chemicals like ethanol
Levels of formaldehyde have been proven to cause chronic toxicity in humans
Levels of methanol in human metabolism are controlled
Aspartic Acid
40wt% of aspartame is broken down into aspartic acid
In a class of chemicals known as excitotoxins High levels of excitotoxins have been shown
to cause damage to areas of the brain
Phenylalanine
50wt% of aspartame is broken down into phenylalanine
Phenylketonuria is an inability to metabolize phenylalanine
Phenylalanine
If consumed in high quantities may cause: Seizures Severe mood swings Anxiety Increase in blood pressure
If consumed during pregnancy, can result in complications
Sweeteners Daily IntakeSweetener Acceptable Daily
IntakeEstimated Daily Intake
Acesulfame Potassium
15 5.2
Saccharin 5 0.83
Aspartame 50 8.7
Sucralose 5 1.6
Neotame 18 0.1
dayweightbodykg
sweetenermg
*
dayweightbodykg
sweetenermg
*
*The Acceptable Daily Intake is determined by the FDA** The Estimated Daily Intake is based on the amount consumed by people whose intake exceeds that of 90% of the population
Aspartame and the Public
“Since aspartame is broken down into these components before it is absorbed into the blood stream, aspartame in its initial form does not have the opportunity to travel to target organs, including the brain, to cause cancer.” - American Cancer Society
“Brain tumor rates have risen in line with aspartame consumption” - John Olney
Aspartame and the FDA
FDA receives more complaints related to aspartame than any other food additive
92 different health effects have been reported to the FDA
Symptoms
Abdominal pain Excessive thirst Arthritis Diarrhea Dizziness Headaches Irritability
• Joint pains
• Nausea
• Rapid heartbeat
• Poor memory
• Breathing difficulty
• Slurring speech
• Itching
Previous Research
UW-Madison research Washington research Medical World News Arizona State University Arizona Department of Health Morando Soffritti
Why is nothing happening?
No scientific evidence FDA Huge Industry
Any others people can think of?
Questions/Comments???
References http://www.neotame.com/about.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acesulfame_potassium http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucralose http://www.saccharin.org/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccharin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame http://www.chemfinder.com http://www.aspartame.org Artificial sweeteners: Okay in Moderation. (2004). Harvard
Womens Health Watch. 11 (11). 2-3. Harder, B. Not So Sweet. Science News. 169 (7). Hull, J. (2005). The Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners.
Total Health. 27 (1). 30-32. Thomas, P. (2005). Aspartame. The Ecologist. 35 (7). 36-46.