LAUSR.org creates dashboard-style pages of related content for over 1.5 million academic articles. Sign Up to like articles & get recommendations!

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

Photo from wikipedia

Abstract 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… Click to show full abstract

Abstract 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 Florianópolis, 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.

Keywords: low calorie; calorie sweeteners; presence; food; packaged foods

Journal Title: Public Health Nutrition
Year Published: 2017

Link to full text (if available)


Share on Social Media:                               Sign Up to like & get
recommendations!

Related content

More Information              News              Social Media              Video              Recommended



                Click one of the above tabs to view related content.