An official website of the United States government.
The study aims to develop and validate a method for the simultaneous measurement of acesulfame K, saccharin, aspartame, sucralose and neohesperidine dihydrochalcone (NHDC) in foodstuffs. The simultaneous method will incorporate an extraction stage followed by determination of the analytes (sweeteners) by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) detection. The method will be validated by a collaborative trial.
Intense sweeteners are increasingly being used as replacements for sugar in foodstuffs. A suitable methodology for determining the presence of these substances in foodstuffs is required, to allow the monitoring of the intake of sweeteners from the diet to be performed. As different sweeteners are often used in combination in the same food or drink, a method is needed for the simultaneous determination of the sweeteners most commonly used in foodstuffs.
<p>
A previous research project on sweetener analysis (A01012) showed that whilst the method of determination for the levels of sweeteners present was fit for purpose, the method of extraction could not produce comparable results when tested in independent laboratories. Therefore, further work is required to develop a method of extraction and refine the existing method of determination.
<p>Find more about this project and other FSA food safety-related projects at the <a href="http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/" target="_blank">Food Standards Agency Research webpage</a>.