Influence of chronic intake of new sweetener fructooligosaccharide (Neosugar) on growth and gastrointestinal function of the rat.

Abstract

SummaryThe influence of the chronic intake of a newly developed sweetener named "Neosugar" (fructooligosaccharide) on body weight gain, organ weight, serum lipids, fecal excretion and intestinal function was investigated in rats. The following results were obtained. 1) Body weight gain was diminished more severely in rats fed on 20% Neosugar diet than in rats fed on 10% Neosugar diet. 2) The wet weights of cecum and colon were greatly increased by Neosugar feeding. 3) Fecal wet weight was significantly increased and gastrointestinal transit time was shortened by Neosugar feeding compared with those of the control group. 4) Serum triacylglycerol levels were significantly lower in rats fed Neosugar, whereas serum cholesterol levels were similar to those of the control group. 5) Fecal excretions of neutral sterol and volatile fatty acids were significantly increased by Neosugar feeding. These results were quite similar, with the exception of diarrhea to those obtained using a dietary fi ber such as glucomannan. Therefore, Neosugar with a pleasant-tasting sweetness appears to be an unavailable oligosaccharide with a dietary fi ber-like action. Key Words Neosugar, fructooligosaccharide, dietary fiber, chronic in take, sweetener, undigestibility, gastrointestinal A dietary preference for sweet foods accompanied by an excessive intake of energy leads inevitably to obesity in people who continue to consume more energy than they burn. In this sense, pleasant-tasting, non-energy sweetener that is entirely safe would make it possible to enjoy sweetened food and at the same time, to avoid both obesity and its complications such as diabetes mellitus. The newly developed 111

Comparison of digestibility and breath hydrogen gas excretion of fructo-oligosaccharide, galactosyl-sucrose, and isomalto-oligosaccharide in healthy human subjects

“…FOS, which has a 1-2 b bond unit of two molecules of fructose, cannot be hydrolyzed in in vitro assay using small intestinal enzymes of rat. In addition, it has been demonstrated that orally ingested FOS escapes digestion in the small intestine and is metabolized to carbon dioxide via short-chain fatty acids produced by colonic microbes (Tokunaga et al, 1986(Tokunaga et al, , 1989. Breath hydrogen gas excretion of GS was lower than that of FOS.…”

Threshold for Transitory Diarrhea Induced by Ingestion of Xylitol and Lactitol in Young Male and Female Adults

“…these saccharides, increase during repeated ingestion (7,23). Tolerance of the ingestion of these sugar substitutes, expressed as the relation between dose levels and symptoms, shows considerable individual variation.…”

“…The non-effective dose level per kg of body weight in a single ingestion depends on the digestibility and absorbability of sugar substitutes such as sugar alcohols and oligosaccharides (5). It is also influenced by other factors such ingestion at multiple times in a day (24), the properties of the test substance, and acclimation to the test substance after repeated ingestion (7). For example, the maximal permissible dose increased about 1.5 times after one container of chocolate containing lactitol was repeatedly ingested every day by healthy female subjects for 10 d (unpublished data).…”

The Effect on Bone of Stimulated Intestinal Mineral Absorption Following Fructooligosaccharide Consumption in Rats

“…These dietary components, such as inulin (16), resistant starch (38), and guar gum hydrolysate (9), increase apparent intestinal calcium absorption, calcium balance, and bone mineral density in rats. The stimulatory effects of fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which are low-molecular-weight indigestible carbohydrates (31,42), on intestinal calcium absorption have been particularly well examined (23,24,27). FOS also increases true and apparent intestinal calcium absorption, calcium balance, and bone mineral density in growing rats (22,23).…”