The Sharp Rise in the Use of Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners in Non-Alcoholic Beverages in Slovenia: An Update Based on 2020 Data

Reducing added sugars in non-alcoholic beverages is an important public health goal, which can result in increased use of low- and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS). The aim of this study was to investigate recent changes in the use of LNCS in non-alcoholic beverages in the Slovenian food supply. The national branded foods dataset was updated with beverages available in 2020, and compared with previous datasets. The data were extracted from food labels. In 2020, N = 1,650 unique beverages were found in shops from five different retailers, covering the majority of the national market. The use of LNCS increased from 13.2% in 2017 and 15.5% in 2019 to 20.2% in 2020, with a major growth in soft drinks (16.8, 19.6, and 26.7%, respectively). We observed a significant growth of beverages containing both LNCS and added sugar. Results were also consistent with sales data, which showed that increased offer of beverages with LNCS also resulted in similarly increased sales of such beverages. The average energy and total sugar content in non-alcoholic beverages decreased, which reflects both the higher percentage of beverages with LNCS, and also the reduction of the sugar content in beverages with only added sugar. Analyses of product-specific reformulation practices highlighted reduced sugar content in 16.8% of products, and in 3.6% with the use of LNCS. The most commonly used LNCS are acesulfame K, sucralose, and aspartame. Typically, combinations are used, however steviol glycosides, sucralose and saccharin are also used alone, in most cases combined with added sugar. The results indicated rapid changes in the use of LNCS in non-alcoholic beverages in the Slovenian food supply, making further monitoring of this area highly relevant.

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The drivers, trends and dietary impacts of non-nutritive sweeteners in the food supply: a narrative review

Nutrition Research Reviews ◽

10.1017/s0954422420000268 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-24

Author(s):

Cherie Russell ◽

Carley Grimes ◽

Phillip Baker ◽

Katherine Sievert ◽

Mark A. Lawrence

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

Sugar Content ◽

Substitution Effects ◽

Added Sugar ◽

Environmental Interventions ◽

Added Sugars ◽

Product Categories ◽

Nutrition Policies ◽

The Impact ◽

Whole Foods

Abstract Poor diets, including excess added sugar consumption, contribute to the global burden of disease. Subsequently, many nutrition policies have been implemented to reduce added sugar intake and improve population health, including taxes, education, labelling and environmental interventions. A potential consequence of these policy actions is the substitution of added sugars with non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) in a variety of foods and beverages. NNS are used to reduce the energy and sugar content of foods and beverages while maintaining their palatability. Evidence of the toxicological risks of NNS is inconsistent, though concerns have been raised over the potential substitution effects of ultra-processed foods containing NNS for whole foods. This review aimed to provide an overview of current NNS food supply and consumption patterns, assess added sugar-reduction policies and their impact on NNS, and determine the impact of NNS on food choice, energy intake and diet quality. NNS are widely available in a variety of products, though most commonly in carbonated beverages, dairy products, confectionery, table-top sweeteners and fruit drinks. However, the longitudinal trends of different product categories, and differences between geographies and economy-income levels, require further study. Few studies have examined NNS consumption trends globally, though an increase in NNS consumption in beverages has been observed in some regions. Research examining how the increased availability of low-sugar, NNS-containing products affects global dietary patterns is limited, particularly in terms of their potential substitution effects.

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Trends in the Use of Low and No-Calorie Sweeteners in Non-Alcoholic Beverages in Slovenia

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10020387 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 387

Author(s):

Edvina Hafner ◽

Maša Hribar ◽

Hristo Hristov ◽

Anita Kušar ◽

Katja Žmitek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

Energy Content ◽

Sugar Content ◽

Sweet Taste ◽

Capital City ◽

Alcoholic Beverages ◽

Grocery Stores ◽

Added Sugar ◽

Energy Value ◽

The Difference

Excessive sugar intake and the associated increased obesity risk indicate that food reformulation is needed. Non-alcoholic beverages are often high in free sugars, making reformulation with low and no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) a common choice. Our knowledge of the use of LNCS in the European food supply is, however, very limited. This study aimed to evaluate the trends in the use of LNCS in different non-alcoholic beverages in the Slovenian food supply over the course of two years. We assessed which LNCS are most used and how the use of LNCS affects energy and sugar content. We analyzed labeling information of non-alcoholic beverages in selected grocery stores, covering the majority of the Slovenian food supply. Selected grocery stores were located in the capital city (Ljubljana). LNCS were present in 13.2% and 15.5% of non-alcoholic beverages in the years 2017 and 2019, respectively. The use of LNCS has significantly increased only in energy drinks (p < 0.01). The most used LNCS in 2017 were acesulfame K, aspartame, and cyclamates. In 2019 the use of sucralose increased significantly (p < 0.01) to become the second most used LNCS. Energy and sugar content varied between subcategories, which depended on the presence of added sugar and LNCS. Comparison between the energy value and the presence of the LNCS showed an almost 50% lower energy content of beverages containing both added sugar and LNCS (E2017 = 92.8 kJ; E2019 = 96.2 kJ per 100 mL), compared with beverages with only added sugar (E2017 = 161.8 kJ; E2019 = 159.0 kJ per 100 mL). In beverages sweetened only with LNCS, the difference was even more noticeable (E2017 = 22.3 kJ; E2019 = 14.3 kJ per 100 mL). Results show that the use of LNCS can help producers reduce the energy value of non-alcoholic beverages. Still, compared to other countries, the offer of such products in the Slovenian food supply is relatively low. However, due to possible public health risks of excessive use of LNCS, producers should be further encouraged for reformulation and production of less sweet products without LNCS, enabling consumers to adapt to less sweet taste of beverages. Further monitoring of LNCS in the food supply is therefore recommended, preferably also with consideration of sales data.

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Količina šećera u mesnim proizvodima s hrvatskog tržišta

Meso ◽

10.31727/m.20.2.2 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 145-149

Author(s):

Darja Katulić ◽

Mladenka Malenica Staver

Keyword(s):

Sugar Content ◽

Meat Products ◽

Added Sugar ◽

Total Sugar Content ◽

Heat Treated ◽

Fermented Sausages ◽

Cured Meat ◽

Enzyme Method ◽

Sugar Levels

Content of sugar in meat products from the Croatian market Sugars are used in the production of meat products to produce lactic acid and to achieve specific sensory properties, thus ensuring the quality and stability of the final product. The aim of this paper was to determine the differences in sucrose, glucose and fructose sugar levels in meat products from different categories available on the Croatian market. A total of 140 samples were analyzed from the category of fermented (n = 41) and heat treated (n = 82) sausages and dry cured meat products (n = 17). For the determination of the sugar level, a validated enzyme method was used. Within each of the three investigated categories the highest sucrose content (0.21-0.87%) was determined, followed by fructose (0.10-0.39%) and the lowest glucose (0.05-0.06%). The total sugar content, as a sum of sucrose, fructose and glucose, was 1.32% in the category of heat treated sausages, 0.36% in fermented sausages and 0.47% in dry cured meat products. The results of the research indicate the variation in the quantity of added sugar in meat products from the Croatian market, with total shares ranging from 1 to 2%, depending on the type of product and the producer's recipe, according to the literature of other authors for the same category of meat products.

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The major types of added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners in a sample of Australian packaged foods

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s136898001700218x ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 20 (18) ◽

pp. 3228-3233 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Yasmine C Probst ◽

Alexis Dengate ◽

Jenny Jacobs ◽

Jimmy CY Louie ◽

Elizabeth K Dunford

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Dietary Recommendations ◽

Added Sugar ◽

Added Sugars ◽

Maple Syrup ◽

Glucose Syrup ◽

Packaged Foods ◽

Packaged Food ◽

Insight Into

AbstractObjectiveLimiting the intake of added sugars in the diet remains a key focus of global dietary recommendations. To date there has been no systematic monitoring of the major types of added sugars used in the Australian food supply. The present study aimed to identify the most common added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners in the Australian packaged food supply.DesignSecondary analysis of data from the Australian FoodSwitch database was undertaken. Forty-six added sugars and eight non-nutritive sweetener types were extracted from the ingredient lists of 5744 foods across seventeen food categories.SettingAustralia.SubjectsNot applicable.ResultsAdded sugar ingredients were found in 61 % of the sample of foods examined and non-nutritive sweetener ingredients were found in 69 %. Only 31 % of foods contained no added sugar or non-nutritive sweetener. Sugar (as an ingredient), glucose syrup, maple syrup, maltodextrin and glucose/dextrose were the most common sugar ingredient types identified. Most Australian packaged food products had at least one added sugar ingredient, the most common being ‘sugar’.ConclusionsThe study provides insight into the most common types of added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners used in the Australian food supply and is a useful baseline to monitor changes in how added sugars are used in Australian packaged foods over time.

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Abstract MP41: Quantifying the Health and Economic Impact of the FDA Added Sugar Labeling Mandate in the US: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.137.suppl_1.mp41 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 137 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Yue Huang ◽

Chris Kypridemos ◽

Junxiu Liu ◽

Yujin Lee ◽

Brendan Collins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sugar Content ◽

Cost Savings ◽

Economic Effects ◽

Population Heterogeneity ◽

Dietary Recommendations ◽

Potential Health ◽

Added Sugar ◽

Added Sugars ◽

Life Years ◽

The Us

Introduction: Excess added sugars, particularly from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), are linked to cardiometabolic risk including obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D) and CVD. Despite recent declines in SSB intake in the US, added sugar intake from SSBs and foods remains high and exceeds dietary recommendations. In May 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced major revisions to the Nutrition Facts panel, including mandatory labeling of added sugar content, as a strategy to target added sugars from packaged foods and beverages. Yet, potential health effects remain unclear; and the FDA recently announced delays in implementation. Aim: To estimate the cardiometabolic and economic effects of implementing FDA’s added sugar labeling policy over a 20-year horizon. Methods: A validated microsimulation model, the US IMPACT Food Policy Model, was used to estimate the T2D and CVD cases averted and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained from the FDA policy for US adults age 30+ years. Model inputs included: nationally representative demographics and added sugar intakes from NHANES; policy effects on consumer intake from labeling intervention studies; obesity-mediated effects and direct independent effects of added sugars from SSBs and other foods, considered separately, on T2D and CVD from meta-analyses; policy costs including government administrative costs and industry compliance costs from federal government reports; national health statistics from the CDC; and healthcare costs including medical, productivity, and indirect costs from the AHA and American Diabetes Association. All costs were inflated to constant 2017 US dollars, discounted annually at 3%. We took a societal perspective and assumed a willingness to pay of $100,000 per QALY. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis accounted for model parameter uncertainty and population heterogeneity. Results: Between 2018 and 2037, the FDA added sugar labeling policy could prevent approximately 580,000 (95% UI: 270,000–960,000) T2D cases and 210,000 (96,000–440,000) CVD cases, generating 600,000 (290,000–970,000) discounted QALYs. The policy would produce discounted net cost savings (health savings minus policy costs) of $47.3bn (21.7-78.6), including $25.6bn (11.9-43.1) from direct healthcare cost reductions. Most (>60%) savings were driven by costs related to T2D. Incorporating modelling and input uncertainty, the FDA added sugar label was estimated with >80% probability to be cost-effective by 2020 and cost-saving by 2022. Potential additional reductions from industry reformulations were not included and could further increase cost-savings. Conclusions: Implementing the FDA added sugar labeling mandate would generate substantial health gains and cost savings for the US population, highlighting the need for timely implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

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Does the Australian Health Star Rating System Encourage Added Sugar Reformulation? Trends in Sweetener Use in Australia

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13030898 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 898

Author(s):

Cherie Russell ◽

Sarah Dickie ◽

Phillip Baker ◽

Mark Lawrence

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

New Products ◽

Substitution Effects ◽

Added Sugar ◽

Current Time ◽

Added Sugars ◽

Star Rating ◽

Australian Health ◽

Long Term Impact ◽

Whole Foods

Dietary risk factors, including excess added sugar intake, are leading contributors to Australia’s burden of disease. An objective of the Australian Health Star Rating (HSR) system is to encourage the reformulation of packaged foods. Manufacturers may improve a product’s HSR by replacing added sugar with non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS). Concerns have been raised regarding the potential substitution effects of ultra-processed foods containing NNS for whole foods, and the long-term impact this may have on population health. The aim of this study was to determine whether the implementation of the HSR system has impacted the use of added sugars and NNS in the food supply. Four product categories were used: products with no added sweetener, products containing added sugar only, products containing NNS only, and products containing a combination of added sugar and NNS. Of 6477 newly released products analyzed displaying a HSR in Australia between 2014–2020, 63% contained added sugars. The proportion of new products sweetened with added sugars increased over time, while NNS use did not, despite a higher average and median HSR for products sweetened with NNS. These findings suggest that at the current time, the HSR system may not discourage the use of added sugars in new products or incentivize the reformulation of added sugar with NNS. As the health risks of NNS are questioned, increased reformulation of products with NNS to reduce the presence of added sugar in the food supply may not address broader health concerns. Instead, supporting the promotion of whole foods and drinks should be prioritized, as well as policy actions that reduce the proliferation and availability of UPFs.

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Evaluation of Health Promoting Minerals of A. squamosa L. Based Products

Current Nutrition & Food Science ◽

10.2174/1573401315666190306160533 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (5) ◽

pp. 802-807

Author(s):

Shashi Bala ◽

Vinod K. Nigam ◽

Ambarish S. Vidyarthi

Keyword(s):

Sugar Content ◽

Sweet Taste ◽

Proximate Analysis ◽

Tribal Community ◽

Nutritional Properties ◽

Tropical Fruit ◽

Total Sugar Content ◽

Custard Apple ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Apple Products

Background: Annona squamosa L. (custard apple) is a tropical fruit known for its sweet taste, distinct flavour, and pleasant, aromatic creamy pulp. The fruit is traditionally used as different folk medicines by tribal community in India. The present study was focussed on the nutritional properties of custard apple based products like pulp, juice, jam, jelly and powder. Methods: Standard ICP-OES and recognized methods of analysis were used for investigation of minerals and biochemical constituents of process products of custard apple. Results: The proximate analysis showed the highest quantity of vitamin C as 32.5 mg/100g, 16.4 mg/100g, 15.8 mg/100g 16.85 mg/100g and 12.3 mg/100g in pulp, jam, jelly, juice and in powder with a total sugar content of 20.96, 51.26, 49.83, 13.17 and 33.5 g/100g for pulp, jam, jelly, juice and powder respectively. The content of calcium in different products of custard apple was observed as 64.25, 58.15, 55.20, 58.20 and 138.35 mg/100g while, the amount of iron as constituent was found as 2.8, 2.25, 2.25, 2.65, 5.45 mg/100g respectively. The observed value of potassium in pulp, juice, jam, jelly and powder was recorded as 428.00, 545.50, 415.0, 411.9 and 1094.5 mg/100g while the concentration of magnesium was found as 54.5 mg/100g in pulp, 65.0 mg/100g in juice, 45.5 mg/100g in jam, 41.2 mg/100g in jelly and 130.4 mg/100g in powder respectively. The study of analytes like As, Pb, Ni and Sn in custard apple products were found below the level of toxicity. Conclusion: The results obtained suggest that these underutilized fruits could greatly add in the improvement of the nutrition of consumers and promote good human health.

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Seven-year trends in the availability, sugar content and serve size of single-serve non-alcoholic beverages in New Zealand: 2013–2019

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980020005030 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Teresa Gontijo de Castro ◽

Helen Eyles ◽

Cliona Ni Mhurchu ◽

Leanne Young ◽

Sally Mackay

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Sugar Content ◽

Food Composition ◽

Soft Drinks ◽

Alcoholic Beverages ◽

Slight Reduction ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sweetened Beverages ◽

Sugary Drinks ◽

High Sugar Content

Abstract Objective: To assess trends in relative availability, sugar content and serve size of ready-to-drink non-alcoholic beverages available for sale in supermarkets from 2013 to 2019. Design: Repeat cross-sectional surveys. Data on single-serve beverages to be consumed in one sitting were obtained from an updated brand-specific food composition database. Trends in beverages availability and proportions with serve size ≤ 250 ml were assessed by χ2 tests. Sugar content trends were examined using linear regressions. The proportion of beverages exceeding the sugar threshold of the United Kingdom Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) was assessed. Setting: New Zealand. Results: From 2013 to 2019, there was (i) an increase in the availability of sugar-free/low-sugar beverages (n 25 (8·4 %) to n 75 (19·1 %); P < 0·001) and craft sugar-sweetened soft drinks (n 11 (3·7 %) to n 36 (9·2 %); P < 0·001), and a decrease in availability of fruit/vegetable juices/drinks (n 94 (31·8 %) to n 75 (19·4 %); P < 0·001); (ii) small decreases in sugar content (mean g/100 ml) of sugar-sweetened soft drinks (3·03; 95 % CI 3·77, 2·29); fruit/vegetable juices/drinks (1·08; 95 % CI 2·14, 0·01) and energy drinks (0·98; 95 % CI 1·63, 0·32) and (iii) slight reduction in the proportion of beverages with serve size ≤ 250 ml (21·6 to 18·9 %; P < 0·001). In 2019, most beverages were sugar-sweetened or had naturally occurring sugars (79·1 %) and serve size > 250 ml (81·1 %) and most sugar-sweetened beverages exceeded the SDIL lower benchmark (72·9 %). Conclusions: Most single-serve beverages available for sale in 2019 were sugary drinks with high sugar content and large serve sizes; therefore, changes made across the years were not meaningful for population’s health.

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Objective Biomarkers for Total Added Sugar Intake – Are We on a Wild Goose Chase?

Advances in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/advances/nmaa093 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1429-1436

Author(s):

Jimmy Chun Yu Louie

Keyword(s):

Human Physiology ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Dietary Assessment ◽

Added Sugar ◽

Added Sugars ◽

Sugar Intake ◽

Adverse Health Outcomes ◽

Dietary Assessment Methods ◽

Nutritional Sciences ◽

Wild Goose

ABSTRACT Misreporting of added sugar intake has been the major criticism of studies linking high added sugar consumption to adverse health outcomes. Despite the advancement in dietary assessment methodologies, the bias introduced by self-reporting can never be completely eliminated. The search for an objective biomarker for total added sugar intake has therefore been a topic of interest. In this article, the reasons this search may be a wild goose chase will be outlined and discussed. The limitations and inability of the 2 candidate biomarkers, namely urinary sucrose and fructose and δ¹³C isotope, which are based on the 2 only possible ways (i.e., difference in metabolism and plant sources) to identify added sugar based on current knowledge in human physiology and food and nutritional sciences, are discussed in detail. Validation studies have shown that these 2 candidate biomarkers are unlikely to be suitable for use as a predictive or calibration biomarker for total added sugar intake. Unless advancement in our understanding in human physiology and food and nutritional sciences leads to new potential ways to distinguish between naturally occurring and added sugars, it is extremely unlikely that any accurate objective added sugar biomarker could be found. It may be time to stop the futile effort in searching for such a biomarker, and resources may be better spent on further improving and innovating dietary assessment methods to minimize the bias introduced by self-reporting.

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Mid and near Infrared Study of Carbohydrates by Canonical Correlation Analysis

Journal of Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽

10.1255/jnirs.13 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 99-108 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

P. Robert ◽

M.F. Devaux ◽

A. Qannari ◽

M. Safar

Keyword(s):

Correlation Analysis ◽

Infrared Spectra ◽

Canonical Correlation ◽

Near Infrared ◽

Sugar Content ◽

Infrared Region ◽

Total Sugar ◽

Mid Infrared ◽

Total Sugar Content ◽

Near Infrared Spectra

Multivariate data treatments were applied to mid and near infrared spectra of glucose, fructose and sucrose solutions in order to specify near infrared frequencies that characterise each carbohydrate. As a first step, the mid and near infrared regions were separately studied by performing Principal Component Analyses. While glucose, fructose and sucrose could be clearly identified on the similarity maps derived from the mid infrared spectra, only the total sugar content of the solutions was observed when using the near infrared region. Characteristic wavelengths of the total sugar content were found at 2118, 2270 and 2324 nm. In a second step, the mid and near infrared regions were jointly studied by a Canonical Correlation Analysis. As the assignments of frequencies are generally well known in the mid infrared region, it should be useful to study the relationships between the two infrared regions. Thus, the canonical patterns obtained from the near infrared spectra revealed wavelengths that characterised each carbohydrate. The OH and CH combination bands were observed at: 2088 and 2332 nm for glucose, 2134 and 2252 nm for fructose, 2058 and 2278 nm for sucrose. Although a precise assignment of the near infrared bands to chemical groups within the molecules was not possible, the present work showed that near infrared spectra of carbohydrates presented specific features.

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