March 2011 - More on sweetness
The first artificial sweetener, synthesised in 1879, was saccharin. It was widely used in the 1960s, but it fell from favour because it leaves a bitter aftertaste in the mouth for about 50 percent of the population.
Artificial sweeteners permitted in Australia (numbers 950-967) must be declared on the label, with the words 'artificially sweetened'.
Acesulphame K – Additive 950 is 200 times as sweet as sugar. It is often used in conjunction with other sweeteners in chewing gum, ice cream, confectionery and sweetened yoghurt.
Alitame – Additive 956 is at least 2000 times as sweet as sugar. It is made from two amino acids (L-aspartic acid and D-alanine) and is permitted for use in drinks, jams, jellies, baked goods, custard and sweet spreads.
Aspartame – Additive 951 is made up of derivatives of two amino acids, phenylalanine and aspartic acid. It is 200 times as sweet as sugar but isn’t used in baked goods because the two amino acids break apart under heat and only taste sweet when they are together. Those with the rare genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot tolerate large quantities of phenylalanine and so food labels must warn of its presence for these people. Aspartame is widely used in soft drinks, chewing gum, chocolate and confectionery and as a powdered sweetener.
Cyclamates – Additive 952 was first made in 1937 and was banned for many years in the US and the UK for fear it could lead to bladder cancer. It is now permitted. Cyclamates are 40 times as sweet as sugar and widely used in cordials and soft drinks. Permitted levels in cordials have recently been reduced in Australia because some cordial drinkers were exceeding the acceptable daily intake.
Erythritol – Additive 968 is made from glucose that has been treated with a yeast that converts it to a form that can’t be digested in the intestine. Most of it is excreted unchanged and it contributes only 1 kJ/gram. It can be used for up to 10 percent of the sugar in cakes and is also used in chocolates, confectionery, pickles, beverages and frozen desserts.
Isomalt – Additive 953 is made from sugar beet and is as sweet as sugar but provides only half the kilojoules. It also functions as a bulking agent and a humectant to keep foods moist. It is digested in the body to glucose, sorbitol and mannitol. A high intake of sorbitol and mannitol can cause diarrhoea and wind. It is used in ice cream, cakes and confectionery.
Lactitol – Additive 966 is made from lactose, the sugar in milk. It has only 40 percent of the sweetness of sugar and half the kilojoules of sugar, and is usually used with more concentrated sweeteners. Like all sugar alcohols, it is only partly digested in the small intestine and then passes to the large intestine where it has a laxative effect and causes wind. It is used in confectionery, frozen desserts, chocolate, cakes, pickles and dressings, drinks, sauces and sports foods.
Maltitol – Additive 965 is made from malted grains and functions as a sweetener, humectant and emulsifier. It has about three-quarters of the sweetness of sugar and is used with more concentrated sweeteners. Like other sugar alcohols, it can have a laxative effect and cause wind. It is used in chewing gum, confectionery, ice cream and chocolate.
Saccharin – Additive 954 is made from by-products of coal and is 200-500 times as sweet as sugar. It is not digested in the body and is excreted by the kidneys. In 1977, saccharin was banned in the United States after Canadian researchers found it caused bladder cancer in mice. After an outcry from the general public (who wanted the sweetness without the kilojoules), diabetic associations and the soft drink industry, saccharin was permitted in the USA, but required a warning label until May 2000. Other countries allow it because it would be difficult to consume enough to create a hazard.
Stevial glycosides, a sweet substance made from the plant Stevia rebaudiana (a member of the chrysanthemum family) was approved for use in in Australia in 2008. It is 250 times as sweet as sugar and sold as a ‘smart’ mixture with raw or white sugar. It has a taste with hints of treacle and licorice.
Sucralose – Additive 955 is 600 times as sweet as sugar and is made by replacing some of the atoms in sugar with chlorine. This means the molecule can't be broken down by enzymes in the intestine, so doesn’t contribute any kilojoules. It is stable to heat and can be used in cakes, biscuits and other baked goods as well as breakfast cereals, confectionery and sweet sauces. It is sold as Splenda and is often listed by this name in recipes.
Thaumatin – Additive 957 is 2000 times as sweet as sugar. It is extracted from a West African plant and has a delayed sweet flavour. It is most likely to be used in fruit juices, soft drinks and confectionery, but its extreme sweetness is a barrier to widespread use in food manufacturing. It is marketed in some countries as Talin.
Xylitol – Additive 967 occurs naturally in fruits and vegetables, especially in strawberries, raspberries and cauliflower. It has similar sweetness to sugar, but only half the kilojoules because it is only partly digested in the small intestine with the residue passing to the large intestine. Large quantities lead to diarrhoea and wind. Xylitol has some protective effects on tooth enamel because it blocks the uptake of glucose by the bacteria which cause tooth decay. It can also be heated or frozen without losing its sweet taste. It is used in chewing gum, confectionery, frozen desserts, low kilojoule products and baked goods. ☼