Rafael Urrialde de Andrés
Professor at the Faculty of Biological Sciences of the Complutense University of Madrid and at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the San Pablo-CEU University, and member of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Society of Nutrition
The situation that is being generated implies that it would be necessary to analyze case by case, and not to generalize with all sweeteners, since, if the WHO suspects or has data on any undesirable effect of one or several sweeteners or additives, it would have to indicate to the JECFA (Joint WHO-FAO Committee that approves them) to immediately annul and revoke the approval of any sweetener or additive on which there are data that according to WHO may cause adverse health effects. The precautionary principle should be applied immediately, if it is not generating doubts that the rest of the Food Safety authorities do not have so far.
In the case of the European Union, EFSA is the authority that carries out and must continue to carry out the approval and the European Commission the authorization through Regulation 1333/2008. A fully effective system that guarantees, through scientific independence, food safety and consumer health protection implemented in the European Union since 2002, thanks to the separation of the approval of risk assessment (carried out by the food safety authority) and risk management (authorities such as the European Council, European Commission and European Parliament).
Currently EFSA and through EU legislation there are 19 authorized sweeteners, some of which have to include warning messages such as polyols (more than 10% added polyols: "excessive consumption may cause laxative effects") or aspartame ("contains a source of phenylalanine").
In the European Union sweeteners: xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, erythritol and sucralose also have approved health properties referring to the fact that the consumption of foods and beverages containing any of them instead of sugar causes a lower increase in blood glucose after ingestion compared to foods and beverages containing sugar or, also, they maintain the mineralization of teeth. In both cases, the energy content of foods and beverages should be reduced by at least 30%. In addition, in the case of xylitol, it has an approved disease risk reduction property, in which chewing gum sweetened with 100% xylitol has been shown to reduce dental plaque. A high dental plaque content is a risk factor in the development of caries in children (to be used under the condition that the consumer is informed that the beneficial effect is obtained with a minimum intake of 2-3 grams of chewing gum sweetened with 100% xylitol 3 times a day after meals).
However, and because of new advances and knowledge on intestinal microbiota, the effect of sweeteners and additives and other substances in general should also be evaluated, but not in isolation but present in the food matrix containing them, both in isolation and in combination.
Sweeteners are a tool for reducing added sugars and lowering the degree of sweetness as a result of the very low quantity that must be used to obtain the desired effect because they are intensive due to their high affinity to bind to the taste buds of the sweet taste. In addition, it is necessary to continue researching and approving sweeteners of natural origin such as Neosperidin DC (present in the albedo of oranges), thaumatin which is the protein present in the fruits of a tropical plant or steviol glycosides of stevia.
To achieve the effects for the reduction of overweight and obesity, the control on food and beverage intake should be on the total diet because otherwise with the behavioral effects of indulgence, balance or energetic reward the effect of foods and beverages with sweeteners may be null or even not have and be overridden by the rest of food intake. Excess sugar intake continues to be an alarming situation, in the case of the European Union, the European Food Safety has already warned about the foods and beverages that contribute most added and free sugars in the diet of citizens both in the adult population (table sugar or as a homemade ingredient, confectionery, sweets, sweetened drinks, juices and nectars) and in children (milk and sweetened dairy products).