Objective Studies have shown that consumption of low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) may be associated with harmful health effects. The current study investigated the presence and types of LCS added to packaged foods. Design Cross-sectional study analysing the presence and types of LCS in the ingredients lists of packaged foods sold at a major Brazilian supermarket. To identify types of LCS allowed for use in foods in Brazil, current legislation was consulted. Data were organised and analysed through descriptive statistics, presenting simple and relative frequencies of LCS presence categorised by food group. Setting Supermarket in Florianopolis, southern Brazil. Subjects Packaged food products (n 4539) from eight food groups. Results One or more LCS were found in 602 (13·3 %) of the packaged foods analysed. There were 1329 citations of LCS among these foods, with a mean of 2·2 sweeteners per food. Groups with the highest frequency of foods containing LCS were: products with energy derived from carbohydrates and fats (25·0 %); milk and dairy products (11·7 %); bakery products, cereals, legumes, roots and tubers (11·2 %); and fruits, juices, nectars and fruit drinks (8·3 %). Conclusions There was high prevalence of packaged foods with LCS, especially in food groups that form the basis of the Brazilian diet. The study was the first to extensively analyse the presence and types of LCS in packaged foods available for sale in a Brazilian supermarket and can be useful to monitor the use of LCS in these foods, as well as to support future changes in legislation to label sugars.

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Where are the low-calorie sweeteners? An analysis of the presence and types of low-calorie sweeteners in packaged foods sold in Brazil from food labelling.

Exposure to sorbitol during lactation causes metabolic alterations and genotoxic effects in rat offspring.

Artificial sweeteners are widely used in foods and beverages to replace sugars. It is essential to monitor the content of these compounds, as amounts over the legal limit may create harmful effects to the health of consumers. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to determine the amount of acesulfame-k, saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame, and neotame in eleven food and beverage products classified as diet, light and zero, using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We also aimed to verify whether their amount in the products was in agreement with the effective legislation and the values indicated on the product label. Soft drinks, nectars, instant juices, puddings and cappuccinos, drinking chocolate powder, jams, jellies, barbecue and tomato sauce and tabletop sweeteners were among the products evaluated. The amount of artificial sweetener in the analysed samples ranged from 0.3 to 25.8 mg.100 mL−1 for acesulfame-k; 1.3 to 15.8 mg.100 mL−1 for saccharin; 36.7 to 79.4 mg.100 mL−1 for cyclamate; 2.7 to 55.9 mg.100 mL−1 for aspartame. All tomato and barbecue sauce samples contained concentrations above the legal limit. Furthermore, several samples contained concentrations above the concentrations stated on the labels, which indicates the need for more efficient control and inspection in the food industry.

Evaluation of the sweetener content in diet/light/zero foods and drinks by HPLC-DAD

/pdf/gestacao-de-alto-risco-5bz1dj5xmh.pdf

Gestação de Alto Risco

ResUMO Apresenta-se revisao sobre a nutricao da gestante e da nutriz. Sao abordados os aspectos fisiologicos da nutricao na gestacao e lactacao, as necessidades nutricionais nesse periodo da vida e as implicacoes terapeuticas da gestacao em situacoes especiais: gravidezes sucessivas, gravidez na adolescencia, gravidez em obesas, anemicas, alcoolatras, subnutridas, gastrecto-mizadas, portadoras de insuficiencia renal, insuficiencia hepatica, e gravidez em mulheres em uso cronico de medicamentos. Palavras-chave: Nutricao; Gravidez; Lactacao; Doencas Nutricionais e Metabolicas.

Nutrition during pregnancy and lactation

Sweeteners are frequently used by women of reproductive age. This is a narrative review about the sweeteners currently sold in the Brazilian commerce. There is a few information on the use of saccharin and cyclamates in pregnancy and their effects on the fetus. Due to the limited information available and their carcinogenic potential in animal species, saccharin and cyclamates should be avoided during pregnancy (risk C). Aspartame has been extensively studied in animals and it is considered safe for use during pregnancy (risk B), except by women homozygous for phenylketonuria (risk C). Sucralose and acessulfame-K are not toxic, carcinogenic or mutagenic in animals, but there are no controlled studies in humans. However, since these two sweeteners are not metabolized, it is unlikely that their use during pregnancy could be harmful (risk B). Stevia, a substance extracted from a native Brazilian plant, is innocuous in animal pregnancies, but there are no controlled studies in humans (risk B). Body agents found in the composition of artificial sweeteners (mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, erithrol, lactilol, isomalt, maltilol, lactose, fructose, maltodextrin, dextrin, and inverted sugar) are substances generally regarded as safe for human consumption. In conclusion, according to the currently available evidence, aspartame, sucralose, acessulfame-K and stevia can be safely used during pregnancy.

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O uso de adoçantes na gravidez: uma análise dos produtos disponíveis no Brasil

Macroangiopathy is multifactorial. It is more severe and frequent in association with nephropathy in diabetes mellitus (DM), being the first cause of mortality in both types of DM. Nevertheless, it is poorly understood in young patients. We report on 2 young diabetic patients with early-onset coronary disease. Case 1, 40yo, Caucasian, female, type 2 DM for 21y: treated with sulphonylureas until 25y, she was switched to insulin upon becoming pregnant. Preeclampsia ensued, but no premature delivery occurred. Macroproteinuria remained (0.99g/24h), and she progressed to renal failure (clearance 52.7mg/min) (conservative treatment). At age 36, she had an acute myocardial infarction. Severe tri-arterial disease was diagnosed, and coronary bypass grafting (CABG) performed. Case 2, 34yo, black, female, type 1 DM for 24y: diagnosed by diabetic ketoacidosis. Due to poor metabolic control (HbA1c chronically above 4 points beyond upper limit for normal) she progressed to microalbuminuria (0.26g/24h) at age 22, after pregnancy. Macroproteinuria (1.7g/24h) ensued after a second pregnancy. At 31y, she presented with stable angina. After coronary angiography, CABG was indicated. These two cases of macroangiopathy in patients diagnosed with DM at an early age show acceleration in the development of coronary disease, suggesting aggressive multifactorial approach of related risk factors from the beginning, regardless of its etiology.

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Annunziata Sonia Fusaro

Papers

O uso de adoçantes na gravidez: uma análise dos produtos disponíveis no Brasil

[Early-onset diabetic coronary macroangiopathy in young diabetes: two case reports].