Yet Another Sweetener To Promote Junk Foods & Drinks

A German food product manufacturing company believes it has improved on sugar as a sweetener. Palatinose™ was first self-affirmed as a substance Generally Recognised as Safe (FRAS) but full FDA GRAS registration was granted in March 2006 following an evaluation of a file submitted by the company, Südzucker/Palatinit.

The company's press release said:

Palatinose™ (generic name: isomaltulose) is a disaccharide derived from sucrose, and a natural constituent of e.g. honey and sugar cane. It has a smooth sweetness profile similar to that of sugar, but has more scope for flavour development. Interestingly, it provides the body with long-lasting energy in the form of glucose and is therefore highly suitable for use in energy-, sports- and wellness drinks as well as in cereal- and nutritional bars; it has the same calorie content as sugar, is tooth-friendly and has a low glycemic effect.

The FDA’s ‘letter of no objection’ paves the way for Palatinose™ from Palatinit to be used in a wide range of food and beverage products, including ready-to-drink and instant beverages, snack bars, dairy products as well as energy-reduced, wellness and sports foods and meal replacements.

As part of its consideration of Palatinose™ for GRAS status, the FDA reviewed in vivo and in vitro studies which demonstrated, that isomaltulose is completely hydrolysed and absorbed in the small intestine as glucose and fructose. Biological data, toxicological and metabolic studies as well as research into gastrointestinal tolerance concluded, that the use of Palatinose™ presents no health concerns.

In July 2005, Palatinose™ was authorised as a novel food or food ingredient in the EU and it has been used as a food ingredient in Japan since 1985.

The company's claims that their sugar replacer not only maintains sweetness but also has a low glycemic effect and can be used to enhance the nutritional value of foods since it is digested much more slowly than sucrose, is part of their market positioning to cash in on the low-glycemic trend which is part of the current fashionability of "healthy food".

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the words, healthy food. What the marketers' and food manufacturers' concept of healthy food is though, is worth some critical review. Caution is certainly advised.

The currently fashionable "low-glycemic" trend is widely held to have taken over from the long-time "low-carb" trend as a popular approach to dietary weight loss. Originally developed as a means to help manage diabetes, the low-glycemic diet favors slow release carbohydrates such as whole grains, most fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes over other carbohydrates that release energy quickly, like white bread, refined breakfast cereals, and concentrated sugars, which cause blood sugar levels to spike.

So we could all be seeing a lot more of this sweetener. Is this a good thing? Well, no, not really because for good health people should consume whole foods, not highly processed or manufactured foods, such as those likely to contain Palatinose.

Very little solid evidence of safety actually exists, notwithstanding the FDA's and other authorities', GRAS status. Problems are, in any event, likely to take a long time to become evident and then to be connected to the product, and then ... well, you get the idea. The safe and smart thing to do is to not consume the sort of foods and beverages that this product will be added to. For real health reasons, they are the types of foods that should be avoided anyway.