A new study, led by researchers at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, demonstrates the toxicity effect of artificial sweeteners on Escherichia coli (E. coli), a sensing model representative of the gut bacteria.
This illustration depicts a 3D computer-generated image of a group of Escherichia coli. Image credit: James Archer, CDC.
Artificial sweeteners are an important class of sugar substitutes known as high-intensity sweeteners.
These substances provide a sweeter taste than sugar and also enhance food flavor, while contributing very little to energy intake.
The Food and Drug Authority (FDA) has approved the use of six artificial sweeteners, which includes aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, advantame, neotame and acesulfame potassium-k (ace-k), in food and beverages. The recent EU legislation has also approved these artificial sweeteners.
Many different population groups consume the added ingredient, with or without their knowledge. This is especially common with athletes who devote full-time care to their diet, which often include sport supplements to improve their physical performance in trainings and competitions
“The results of our study might help in understanding the relative toxicity of artificial sweeteners and the potential of negative effects on the gut microbial community as well as the environment,” saod study co-authors Professor Ariel Kushmaro, from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
In the study, the relative toxicity of six FDA-approved artificial sweeteners and that of ten sport supplements containing these sweeteners were tested using genetically modified bioluminescent bacteria from E. coli.
“We modified bioluminescent E. coli bacteria, which luminesce when they detect toxicants and act as a sensing model representative of the complex microbial system,” Professor Kushmaro explained.
Toxic effects were found when the bacteria were exposed to certain concentrations of the artificial sweeteners.
“In the bioluminescence activity assay, two toxicity response patterns were observed, namely, the induction and inhibition of the bioluminescent signal,” the researchers said.
“An inhibition response pattern may be observed in the response of sucralose in all the tested bacterial strains. It is also observed in neotame. On the other hand, the induction response pattern may be observed in its response in saccharin, aspartame and ace-k.”
“This is further evidence that consumption of artificial sweeteners adversely affects gut microbial activity which can cause a wide range of health issues,” Professor Kushmaro said.
The results are published in the journal Molecules.
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Dorin Harpaz et al. 2018. Measuring Artificial Sweeteners Toxicity Using a Bioluminescent Bacterial Panel. Molecules 23 (10): 2454; doi: 10.3390/molecules23102454
