Originally published November 10 2005
Universities collaborate on development of low-calorie sweeteners
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The University of Rochester and the University of Maryland have joined in a major taste study that promises the potential development of sweeteners that provide a healthier alternative to sugar.
Scientists at The University of Manchester and The University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore claim to have made a major advance in understanding what makes a substance taste sweet.
The discovery could help pave the way for the development of low-calorie sweeteners that mimic natural sugar and leave no bitter aftertaste.
"Our study has for the first time measured how sugar and some synthetic sweeteners interact with two types of taste receptors on the tongue," said Dr Graeme Conn in Manchester's Faculty of Life Sciences.
The competitive sweetener industry is enjoying considerable growth above the industry average as consumers with growing health and weight concerns turn away from sugar-heavy foods and beverages to 'lite' versions.
The research findings, published in the 8 November issue of the scientific journal Current Biology, could therefore have implications for diabetic patients, who need to regulate their sugar intake, as well as for tackling the growing problem of obesity.
A recent study by food firm GoLower showed that the average adult in Britain consumed 33 teaspoons of sugar a day, more than three times the recommended amount.
Much of this sugar intake was consumed through everyday food items, like baked beans, bread and cereal, as well as in tea, coffee and alcoholic drinks.
We hope that food scientists can use our research to create sugar alternatives with the most natural taste, offering more choice to consumers who rely on low-calorie products to help control diseases like diabetes and obesity."
The scientists think that two peptides -- small proteins that enable cells to talk to one another -- have different effects in the same cells.
Though there are small differences in sensation, which can be measured with highly specific instruments, all taste buds, essentially clusters of 50 to 100 cells, can respond to all types of taste.
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