Effects of common artificial sweeteners at environmentally relevant concentrations on soil springtails and their gut microbiota.

Artificial sweeteners (AS) are extensively utilized as sugar substitutes and have been recognized as emerging environmental contaminants. While the effect of AS on aquatic organisms has garnered recent attention, their effects on soil invertebrates and gut microbial communities remain unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we exposed springtails (Folsomia candida) to both single and combined treatments of four typical AS (sucralose [SUC], saccharin [SAC], cyclamate [CYC], and acesulfame [ACE]) at environmentally relevant concentrations of 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mg kg-1 in soil. Following the first-generational exposure, the reproduction of juveniles showed a significant increase under all the AS treatments of 0.1 mg kg-1. The transcriptomic analysis revealed significant enrichment of several Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome pathways (e.g., glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, pentose and glucuronate interconversions, amino sugar, and nucleotide sugar metabolism, ribosome, and lysosome) in springtails under all AS treatments. Analysis of gut bacterial microbiota indicated that three AS (SUC, CYC, and ACE) significantly decreased alpha diversity, and all AS treatments increased the abundance of the genus Achromobacter. After the sixth-generational exposure to CYC, weight increased, but reproduction was inhibited. The pathways that changed significantly (e.g., extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, lysosome) were generally similar to those altered in first-generational exposure, but with opposite regulation directions. Furthermore, the effect on the alpha diversity of gut microbiota was contrary to that after first-generational exposure, and more noticeable disturbances in microbiota composition were observed. These findings underscore the ecological risk of AS in soils and improve our understanding of the toxicity effects of AS on living organisms.

Obesogenic potentials of environmental artificial sweeteners with disturbances on both lipid metabolism and neural responses.

Artificial sweeteners (ASs) entered the environments after application and emissions. Recent studies showed that some ASs had obesogenic risks. However, it remained unclear whether such risks are common and how they provoke such effects. Presently, the effects of 8 widely used ASs on lipid accumulation were measured in Caenorhabditis elegans. Potential mechanisms were explored with feeding and locomotion behavior, lipid metabolism and neural regulation. Results showed that acesulfame (ACE), aspartame (ASP), saccharin sodium (SOD), sucralose (SUC) and cyclamate (CYC) stimulated lipid accumulation at µg/L levels, showing obesogenic potentials. Behavior investigation showed that ACE, ASP, SOD, SUC and CYC biased more feeding in the energy intake aspect against the locomotion in the energy consumption one. Neotame (NEO), saccharin (SAC) and alitame (ALT) reduced the lipid accumulation without significant obesogenic potentials in the present study. However, all 8 ASs commonly disturbed enzymes (e.g., acetyl-CoA carboxylase) in lipogenesis and those (e.g., carnitine palmitoyl transferase) in lipolysis. In addition, ASs disturbed PPARγ (via expressions of nhr-49), TGF-ß/DAF-7 (daf-7) and SREBP (sbp-1) pathways. Moreover, they also interfered neurotransmitters including serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA) and acetylcholine (ACh), with influences in Gsα (e.g., via expressions of gsα-1, ser-7), glutamate (e.g., mgl-1), and cGMP-dependent signaling pathways (e.g., egl-4). In summary, environmental ASs commonly disturbed neural regulation connecting behavior and lipid metabolism, and 5 out of 8 showed clear obesogenic potentials. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Artificial sweeteners (ASs) are become emerging pollutants after wide application and continuous emission. Recent studies showed that some environmental ASs had obesogenic risks. The present study employed Caenorhabditis elegans to explore the influences of 8 commonly used ASs on lipid metabolisms and also the underlying mechanisms. Five out of 8 ASs stimulated lipid accumulation at µg/L levels, and they biased energy intake against energy consumption. The other three ASs reduced the lipid accumulation. ASs commonly disturbed lipogenesis and lipolysis via PPARγ, TGF-ß and SREBP pathways, and also influenced neurotransmitters with Gsα, glutamate and cGMP-dependent signaling pathways.

Reaction of cyclamate with hypochlorous acid in vitro and formation of chlorcyclohexylamine and cyclohexylamine.

In this work, we investigated the reaction of cyclamate with hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in simulated gastric juice. The reaction products were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS). We also explored the changes in product concentration as a function of reaction time, cyclamate and HOCl concentrations. Cyclamate reacted with hypochlorous acid instantly in the simulated gastric fluid. N, N-dichlorcyclohexylamine and cyclohexylamine were both detected when the HOCl concentration was at millimole. Cyclohexylamine can only be found when HOCl concentration was at micromole. N, N-dichlorcyclohexylamine and cyclohexylamine concentrations both increased when cyclamate concentration increased under the millimole level of HOCl. As an important reactive oxygen species, hypochlorous acid (HClO) is produced in various physiological processes. The abnormal rise of the HClO level is associated with many inflammatory diseases. Chronic gastritis associated with Helicobacter pylori is a multistep, progressive, life-long inflammation. So, chronic gastritis infected with H. pylori may cause cyclamate metabolizing into cyclohexylamine in vivo.

Taste traces: Capsaicin and sweeteners as anthropogenic markers in municipal wastewater.

Dietary-derived substances possess significant potential as anthropogenic markers owing to the large consumption and different intake habit. To investigate and evaluate such markers, wastewater samples from 35 wastewater treatment plants across 29 Chinese cities were collected to analyze artificial sweeteners (acesulfame and cyclamate) and natural spicy compounds (capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin). Acesulfame (mean: 14.6 µg/L), cyclamate (mean: 24.3 µg/L), and capsaicin (mean: 101 ng/L) can be further investigated as anthropogenic markers due to their high detection frequency at high concentrations. Spatial use patterns revealed that acesulfame (5.31 g/d/1000 inhabitants (inh)) and cyclamate (8.16 g/d/1000 inh) use in northern China notably surpassed that in southern China (1.79 g/d/1000 inh and 3.23 g/d/1000 inh, p < 0.05). Conversely, chili pepper use was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in southern China (6702 g/d/1000 inh) than in northern China (2751 g/d/1000 inh), signifying a preference for sweetness in the northern regions and a predilection for spiciness in the southern regions. The total annual use of acesulfame (1842 t), cyclamate (3110 t), and chili (18.4 million tonnes) in China was estimated by this study, which was close to the national statistical production. In addition, sweetener use was negatively associated with the elderly population ratio, suggesting that the elderly population might not consume sweet foods. This study reveals the dietary sources of anthropogenic markers, highlighting the need for further research on the environmental implications of such markers.

Transplacental Transport of Artificial Sweeteners.

The prevalence of obesity is increasing, and the origins of obesity and metabolic dysfunction may be traced back to fetal life. Currently, overweight pregnant women are advised to substitute sugar-sweetened beverages with diet drinks containing artificial sweeteners. Recent evidence suggests that the consumption of artificial sweeteners during pregnancy increases the risk of obesity in the child, but the mechanism is unknown. We hypothesized the transportation of artificial sweeteners across the placenta into the fetal circulation and the amniotic fluid. We included 19 pregnant women who were given an oral dose of acesulfame, cyclamate, saccharin, and sucralose immediately before a planned caesarean section. Nine women were included as controls, and they refrained from an intake of artificial sweeteners. The maternal and fetal blood and amniotic fluid were collected during the caesarean section, and concentrations of artificial sweeteners were measured using mass spectrometry. We found a linear relationship between the fetal plasma concentrations of artificial sweeteners and the maternal plasma concentrations, with adjusted coefficients of 0.49 (95% CI: 0.28-0.70) for acesulfame, 0.72 (95% CI: 0.48-0.95) for cyclamate, 0.51 (95% CI: 0.38-0.67) for saccharin, and 0.44 (95% CI: 0.33-0.55) for sucralose. We found no linear relationship between amniotic fluid and fetal plasma concentrations, but there were positive ratios for all four sweeteners. In conclusion, the four sweeteners investigated all crossed the placenta and were present in the fetal circulation and amniotic fluid.

Levels, consumption, and variations of eight artificial sweeteners in the wastewater treatment plants of Dalian city, China.

Artificial sweeteners (ASs) are emerging contaminants in the environment, primarily derived from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. In this study, the influents and effluents of three WWTPs in the Dalian urban area, China, were analyzed for the distribution of 8 typical ASs to investigate their seasonal fluctuations in the WWTPs. The results showed that acesulfame (ACE), sucralose (SUC), cyclamate (CYC), and saccharin (SAC) were both detected in the influent and effluent water samples of WWTPs, with concentrations ranging from not detected (ND) to 14.02 µg·L-1. In addition, SUC was the most abundant ASs type, accounting for 40 %-49 % and 78 %-96 % of the total ASs in the influent and effluent water, respectively. The WWTPs revealed high removal efficiencies of CYC, SAC, and ACE, while the SUC removal efficiency was poor (26 % ± 36 %). The ACE and SUC concentrations were higher in spring and summer, and all ASs showed lower levels in winter, which may be caused by the high consumption of ice-cream in warmer months. The per capita ASs loads in the WWTPs were determined in this study based on the wastewater analysis results. The calculated per capita daily mas loads for individual ASs ranged from 0.45 g·d-1·1000p-1 (ACE) to 2.04 g·d-1·1000p-1 (SUC). In addition, the relationship between per capita ASs consumption and socioeconomic status showed no significant correlation.

Development and validation of a UPLC-MS/MS method for the quantification of sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners in human urine.

High-intensity sweeteners ('sweeteners'), such as sucralose, saccharine, acesulfame, cyclamate and steviol, are replacing sugars in many food products, but biomarker-based data on their population-wide exposure, as well as analytical methods that can quantify urinary concentrations of sugars and sweeteners simultaneously, are lacking. Here, we developed and validated an ultra-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method to quantify glucose, sucrose, fructose, sucralose, saccharine, acesulfame, cyclamate and steviol glucuronide in human urine. Urine samples were prepared by a simple dilution step containing the internal standards in water and methanol. Separation was achieved on a Shodex Asahipak NH2P-40 hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) column using gradient elution. The analytes were detected using electrospray ionization in negative ion mode, and selective reaction monitoring was optimized using the [M-H]- ions. Calibration curves ranged between 34 and 19,230 ng/mL for glucose and fructose, and 1.8 to 1,026 ng/mL for sucrose and the sweeteners. The method has acceptable accuracy and precision, which depends on the application of appropriate internal standards. Storage of urine samples in lithium monophosphate gives the best overall analytical performance, and storage at room temperature without any preservatives should be avoided since this leads to reduced glucose and fructose concentrations. With the exception of fructose, all analytes were stable throughout 3 freeze-thaw cycles. The validated method was applied to human urine samples, demonstrating quantifiable concentrations of the analytes which were in the expected range. It is concluded that the method has acceptable performance to quantitatively determine dietary sugars and sweeteners in human urine.

Prediction of dynamic allostery for the transmembrane domain of the sweet taste receptor subunit, TAS1R3.

The sweet taste receptor plays an essential role as an energy sensor by detecting carbohydrates. However, the dynamic mechanisms of receptor activation remain unclear. Here, we describe the interactions between the transmembrane domain of the G protein-coupled sweet receptor subunit, TAS1R3, and allosteric modulators. Molecular dynamics simulations reproduced species-specific sensitivity to ligands. We found that a human-specific sweetener, cyclamate, interacted with the mouse receptor as a negative allosteric modulator. Agonist-induced allostery during receptor activation was found to destabilize the intracellular part of the receptor, which potentially interfaces with the Gα subunit, through ionic lock opening. A common human variant (R757C) of the TAS1R3 exhibited a reduced response to sweet taste, in support of our predictions. Furthermore, histidine residues in the binding site acted as pH-sensitive microswitches to modulate the sensitivity to saccharin. This study provides important insights that may facilitate the prediction of dynamic activation mechanisms for other G protein-coupled receptors.

Impact of Long-Term Cyclamate and Saccharin Consumption on Biochemical Parameters in Healthy Individuals and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies on saccharin and cyclamate were either limited to experimental animals or lacked evaluation of their long-term consumption effects in humans. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the effect of chronic consumption of saccharin and cyclamate on biochemical parameters in healthy individuals and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Healthy and diabetic individuals were classified into two groups based on whether they consumed sweeteners or not. The participants were classified according to the amount of sweetener consumed per day and duration of consumption. Serum catalase activity, peroxynitrite, ceruloplasmin, and malondialdehyde concentrations were determined. Glycated hemoglobin, fasting glucose, creatinine, alanine transaminase, and lipid profile were also evaluated. The results suggest that saccharin and cyclamate increased HbA1C (+11.16%), MDA (+52.38%), TG (+16.74%), LDL (+13.39%), and TC/HDL (+13.11%) in healthy volunteers. Diabetic patients consuming sweeteners showed increased FSG (+17.51%), ceruloplasmin (+13.17%), and MDA (+8.92%). Diabetic patients showed a positive correlation between the number of tablets consumed per day with FSG and serum creatinine. A positive correlation was found between the duration of sweetener consumption and FSG as well as TG. CONCLUSION: Consumption of saccharin and cyclamate affected biochemical parameters related to metabolic functions in a time and dose-dependent manner and appear to increase oxidative stress in healthy and diabetic type 2 patients.

The Effect of Non-Nutritive Sweetened Beverages on Postprandial Glycemic and Endocrine Responses: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: There has been an emerging concern that non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) can increase the risk of cardiometabolic disease. Much of the attention has focused on acute metabolic and endocrine responses to NNS. To examine whether these mechanisms are operational under real-world scenarios, we conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis of acute trials comparing the effects of non-nutritive sweetened beverages (NNS beverages) with water and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in humans. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Library were searched through to January 15, 2022. We included acute, single-exposure, randomized, and non-randomized, clinical trials in humans, regardless of health status. Three patterns of intake were examined: (1) uncoupling interventions, where NNS beverages were consumed alone without added energy or nutrients; (2) coupling interventions, where NNS beverages were consumed together with added energy and nutrients as carbohydrates; and (3) delayed coupling interventions, where NNS beverages were consumed as a preload prior to added energy and nutrients as carbohydrates. The primary outcome was a 2 h incremental area under the curve (iAUC) for blood glucose concentration. Secondary outcomes included 2 h iAUC for insulin, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), peptide YY (PYY), ghrelin, leptin, and glucagon concentrations. Network meta-analysis and confidence in the network meta-analysis (CINeMA) were conducted in R-studio and CINeMA, respectively. Results: Thirty-six trials involving 472 predominantly healthy participants were included. Trials examined a variety of single NNS (acesulfame potassium, aspartame, cyclamate, saccharin, stevia, and sucralose) and NNS blends (acesulfame potassium + aspartame, acesulfame potassium + sucralose, acesulfame potassium + aspartame + cyclamate, and acesulfame potassium + aspartame + sucralose), along with matched water/unsweetened controls and SSBs sweetened with various caloric sugars (glucose, sucrose, and fructose). In uncoupling interventions, NNS beverages (single or blends) had no effect on postprandial glucose, insulin, GLP-1, GIP, PYY, ghrelin, and glucagon responses similar to water controls (generally, low to moderate confidence), whereas SSBs sweetened with caloric sugars (glucose and sucrose) increased postprandial glucose, insulin, GLP-1, and GIP responses with no differences in postprandial ghrelin and glucagon responses (generally, low to moderate confidence). In coupling and delayed coupling interventions, NNS beverages had no postprandial glucose and endocrine effects similar to controls (generally, low to moderate confidence). Conclusions: The available evidence suggests that NNS beverages sweetened with single or blends of NNS have no acute metabolic and endocrine effects, similar to water. These findings provide support for NNS beverages as an alternative replacement strategy for SSBs in the acute postprandial setting.

Occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk assessment of artificial sweeteners in surface and ground waters of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River (Henan section, China).

As a new class of water contaminants, artificial sweeteners (ASs) have attracted much attention due to their environmental persistence and potential adverse effects to human and the environment. This study systematically investigated the occurrence and distribution of four commonly used ASs in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), surface water and groundwater in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River (Henan section). Sucralose (SUC) was dominant in WWTP effluents and had the highest mass loading. Acesulfame (ACE), cyclamate (CYC), saccharin (SAC), and SUC were consistently detected in surface water at concentrations ranging from 1.364 ng/L (CYC) to 7786 ng/L (ACE). Spatial analysis showed that the pollution level of ASs in the trunk stream was lower than that in most tributaries. The total concentrations of ASs detected in surface water ranged between 308.7 and 10,498 ng/L, while in groundwater, the total concentration of ASs detected was between ND-4863 ng/L. ACE and SUC are the main pollutants in surface water and groundwater within this survey area. The risk assessment showed that the risks of the four target ASs to aquatic organisms were negligible (risk quotient (RQ) values < 0.1), and the maximum risk quotient of the mixtures (MRQ) values of all rivers were all much less than 0.1.

Light-shading reaction microfluidic PMMA/paper detection system for detection of cyclamate concentration in foods.

Cyclamate is an artificial sweetener with high sweetness and low calories, and is a common sugar substitute for weight control and diabetic patients. However, excessive cyclamate consumption is associated with various health disorders, and hence it is prohibited as a food additive in many countries around the world. The current research proposes a light-shading reaction microfluidic PMMA/paper detection (MPD) system for determining the cyclamate concentration in food. In the current system, inject 10 µL of the extracted sodium cyclamate sample into the sample chamber of the MPD device, perform the diazotization reaction under shading conditions, and then suck it into the detection area through a paper strip, which consists of a paper chip embedded with modified Bratton-Marshall reagent. Once the paper chip is thoroughly wetted, the MPD device is inserted into a microanalysis box, where a fuchsia azo reaction compound is produced through heating at 40 °C for 3 min. The reaction complex is observed by a camera and the reaction image is wirelessly transmitted to a smartphone, and the concentration of sodium cyclamate is measured through the self-developed grayscale software. The results obtained for the sodium cyclamate samples with a concentration in the range of 50-1000 ppm show that the measured gray value changes linearly with the sodium cyclamate concentration, and the correlation coefficient (R2) is 0.9898. By analyzing the concentration of sodium cyclamate in 10 real-world samples, the practical feasibility of the current MPD system is proved. The results showed that the concentration measurement value did not deviate by more than 4.8 % from the value obtained using the conventional liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method.

Seasonal occurrence, removal and mass loads of artificial sweeteners in the largest water reclamation plant in China.

Artificial sweeteners (ASs) are of growing concern as an emerging contaminant. In the study, the seasonal occurrence, removal and mass load of six ASs in sewage, suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sludge were investigated throughout the treatment process of the largest water reclamation plant in China. The highest ASs concentrations in the influent (13.0 µg/L), effluent (2.22 µg/L), SPM (4.48 µg/g) and sludge (0.15 µg/g) were observed in the dry season, which were 1.24- to 5.0-fold higher than in the normal season and 1.06- to 37.5-fold higher than the flood season. Following treatment, ASs concentrations decreased by 24.3 %, 51.7 % and 5.1 % (on average) in primary, secondary and reclaimed processes, respectively. Among the investigated ASs, acesulfame (93.1 %) and cyclamate (98.4 %) were removed most efficiently, with removal occurring mainly in secondary processes, while sucralose exhibited the lowest removal efficiency (38.7 %). Seasonal characteristics affect the consumption of ASs, which subsequently changes the input and discharge ASs loads of STPs. The maximum mass load of ASs occurred in the dry season, ranging from 0.002 (neotame) to 1.33 mg/d/person (cyclamate), while the maximum emission load occurred in the flood season, ranging from 0.003 (neotame) to 0.83 mg/d/person (sucralose). The mass and emission load of ASs in Beijing is significantly lower than in European or the United States, due to Beijing having low per capita consumption of ASs (5.50 mg/d/person). The highest ASs risk in the receiving water occurred in the flood season due to the input of other pollution sources by rainfall runoff. Meanwhile, attention should be paid to the risk of receiving water close to the STP outlet in the dry seasons for the highest ASs concentration in the STP effluent in the season. The present study provides important guidance on controlling the input and reducing the emission of ASs in different seasons.

Rapid and sensitive quantification of cyclamate in beverages by miniature microplasma optical emission spectrometry.

Most of the available methods for the quantification of cyclamate depend on laboratory instruments and their application in the field was limited. Herein, a simple and sensitive method was developed for the determination of cyclamate in beverage samples based on chemical vapor generation and miniature point discharge optical emission spectrometry (µPD-OES). The combination of headspace sampling and µPD-OES not only simplifies the separation process of cyclamate, improves sensitivity, and alleviates matrix interference but also eliminates the use of a bulky and expensive instrument. Under the optimal conditions, this method provided a limit of detection of 0.1 mg L-1 comparable to or better than most reported methods. The method eventually was applied to 14 different beverages and cyclamate was found below the threshold set by Chinese Standards for Food Additives. The proposed method provides great potential for the field analysis of cyclamate in the supervision of food safety.

Artificial sweeteners inhibit multidrug-resistant pathogen growth and potentiate antibiotic activity.

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most pressing concerns of our time. The human diet is rich with compounds that alter bacterial gut communities and virulence-associated behaviours, suggesting food additives may be a niche for the discovery of novel anti-virulence compounds. Here, we identify three artificial sweeteners, saccharin, cyclamate and acesulfame-K (ace-K), that have a major growth inhibitory effect on priority pathogens. We further characterise the impact of ace-K on multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, demonstrating that it can disable virulence behaviours such as biofilm formation, motility and the ability to acquire exogenous antibiotic-resistant genes. Further analysis revealed the mechanism of growth inhibition is through bulge-mediated cell lysis and that cells can be rescued by cation supplementation. Antibiotic sensitivity assays demonstrated that at sub-lethal concentrations, ace-K can resensitise A. baumannii to last resort antibiotics, including carbapenems. Using a novel ex vivo porcine skin wound model, we show that ace-K antimicrobial activity is maintained in the wound microenvironment. Our findings demonstrate the influence of artificial sweeteners on pathogen behaviour and uncover their therapeutic potential.

Suspect screening of pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, pesticides, and other emerging contaminants in Argentinean Piaractus mesopotamicus, a fish species used for local consumption and export.

The widespread distribution of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) is a major concern due to their potential effects on human health and the environment. The insufficient sewage treatment plant infrastructures is a global problem most accentuated in less developed countries and results in the discharge of CECs to water bodies. Pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) is a ray-finned freshwater fish species native to the Paraná basin. It is also the most produced aquaculture fish species in Argentina since 2012. Though uninvestigated to date, the occurrence of CECs in pacu may be of high relevance due to production volumes and relevance to human exposure through fish consumption. In this study, we applied a high-resolution mass spectrometry screening method to qualitatively analyze over 100 CECs in pacu. Four extraction/cleanup methods were tested on pooled pacu fillet, including solid-phase extraction and QuEChERS. The method that produced the highest number of detections was selected for further analysis of pacu purchased in supermarkets and fish markets in Argentina between 2017 and 2020. Residues of pesticides, antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, plasticizers, sweeteners, drug metabolites, stimulants, and illegal drugs were detected in the samples. A total of 38 CECs were detected, ranging between 24 and 35 CECs per individual sample. 100% of the samples had positive detections of caffeine, 1,7-dimethylxanthine, xanthine, benzoylecgonine, methylparaben, ethylparaben, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), metolachlor, carbendazim, salicylic acid, 2,4-D, saccharin, cyclamate, and dodecanedioic acid. Mappings generated with correspondence analysis were used to explore similarities/dissimilarities among the detected compounds. To our knowledge this is the first report of saccharin, cyclamate, 2,4 - D, carbendazim, metolachlor, ethylparaben, propylparben, bisphenol A, DEHP, and benzotriazole in fish from Argentina, and the first report on the presence of lisinopril, metropolol acid and dodecanedioic acid in fish worldwide.

A comprehensive database of declared high-intensity sweeteners in Brazilian commercial products and updated exposure assessment.

Government regulatory actions and public policies to reduce sugar consumption were recently implemented in Brazil. To evaluate their potential impact on the supply of products containing high-intensity sweeteners (HIS) and on dietary exposure to these substances, this study aimed to create a comprehensive database on HIS declared in Brazilian commercial products and estimate their intake through consumption of these products. The occurrence of HIS was evaluated through labeling information of 1869 commercial products available in the Brazilian market, collected between January 2021 and August 2021, and the daily intake was estimated for eight HIS (acesulfame K, advantame, aspartame, cyclamate, steviol glycosides, neotame, saccharin and sucralose) using a deterministic approach by multiplying the maximum permitted levels of HIS in foods and beverages by the consumption data of these products. The consumption data were obtained from the report of Household Budget Survey (POF/IBGE), conducted from 2017 to 2018 through a 24-hour dietary recall applied to 46,164 individuals aged 10 years and over, which included only average data (i.e. average consumption for the general population or subgroups). The most frequent HIS in the investigated products were sucralose (26.8 %; n = 938) and acesulfame K (21.7 %; n = 759), and although the combination of sweeteners is a common practice in the food industry, there was a predominance of only one substance in the investigated products (46.7 %; n = 873). The estimated intake of HIS for average consumers was below the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) and does not suggest a toxicological concern. A similar scenario was observed for high consumers, except for cyclamate and steviol glycosides, which corresponded to 144 % and 131 % of their respective ADIs in the general population. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive database on HIS in Brazil and the most recent exposure assessment performed nationally.

Dietary exposure to low-calorie sweeteners in a sample of Brazilian pregnant women.

The dietary exposure to low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) was estimated in a sample of pregnant Brazilian women. Consumption data were obtained with a 24-h Dietary Recall interview. Because of the uncertainty in assessing foods with LCS, they were classified into three scenarios to ensure inclusion of the 15 LCS allowed for use in Brazil: ranging from a less to a more conservative scenario. The concentration of LCS was estimated using the amount declared on the label or the maximum permitted levels and analytical determination data for table-top sweeteners. The frequency of consumption was higher for acesulfame-K, aspartame, and cyclamate. The food groups contributing the most to the consumption of LCS were non-alcoholic beverages, table-top sweeteners, confectionary and desserts. The level of dietary exposure to LCS was within the safety limit. However, continued efforts to monitor their dietary exposure are necessary given the limitations highlighted in this study.

Artificial Sweeteners in Breast Milk: A Clinical Investigation with a Kinetic Perspective.

Artificial sweeteners (ASs) are calorie-free chemical substances used instead of sugar to sweeten foods and drinks. Pregnant women with obesity or diabetes are often recommended to substitute sugary products with ASs to prevent an increase in body weight. However, some recent controversy surrounding ASs relates to concerns about the risk of obesity caused by a variety of metabolic changes, both in the mother and the offspring. This study addressed these concerns and investigated the biodistribution of ASs in plasma and breast milk of lactating women to clarify whether ASs can transfer from mother to offspring through breast milk. We recruited 49 lactating women who were provided with a beverage containing four different ASs (acesulfame-potassium, saccharin, cyclamate, and sucralose). Blood and breast milk samples were collected before and up to six hours after consumption. The women were categorized: BMI < 25 (n = 20), BMI > 27 (n = 21) and type 1 diabetes (n = 8). We found that all four ASs were present in maternal plasma and breast milk. The time-to-peak was 30−120 min in plasma and 240−300 min in breast milk. Area under the curve (AUC) ratios in breast milk were 88.9% for acesulfame-potassium, 38.9% for saccharin, and 1.9% for cyclamate. We observed no differences in ASs distributions between the groups.

Young population consume twice as much artificial sweetener than the general population - A wastewater-based assessment in China.

Understanding artificial sweetener consumption patterns and levels in different demographics is important for formulating public health policies on controlling sugar consumption. There is a considerable knowledge gap with respect to the pattern of artificial sweetener consumption in China. To narrow this gap, wastewater analysis was used to assess the temporal patterns of consumption of seven artificial sweeteners in an urban population and a university town in a megacity in South China over a one-year period. Daily influent wastewater samples were collected from an urban catchment and weekly samples collected from a university sub-catchment. Population normalized per capita consumption of the four detected artificial sweeteners (cyclamate, acesulfame, sucralose and saccharin) in the university catchment (1.0-5.9 mg d-1 p-1) was much higher than those in urban catchment (0.5-1.3 mg d-1 p-1), indicating younger population consume more artificial sweeteners than the general population. The daily consumption of artificial sweeteners was found to be stable throughout the week in the urban catchment. Time-series analysis showed that an average increase in temperature of 1 °C was associated with an increase consumption of 33 µg d-1 p-1 for acesulfame, 15 µg d-1 p-1 for sucralose and 14 µg d-1 p-1 for saccharin. This was the first study that objectively quantified the greater consumption of artificial sweeteners (proxy for consumption of artificially sweetened food and beverages) in a younger age group when compared to the general population, which could potentially pose a risk of health related diseases.