[Hygienic assessment and prospects for the use of protein-based sweeteners in food production].

Abstract

The analysis of the morbidity in the population of the Russian Federation showed the presence of a significant number of people with chronic non-infection pathologies, including obesity, diabetes mellitus, whose diet should include food with reduced energy value. For this purpose, food containing sweeteners are widely used. At the same time, the range of sweeteners permitted for the usage in food industry does not always allow achieving the desired technological effect. In this regard, it is of interest to search for new types of sweeteners with the necessary organoleptic and technological properties. Such sweeteners include a number of proteins with a sweet taste. The purpose of the study was to analyze the available data on the possibility of using protein-based sweeteners in the food industry and their human health safety. Material and methods. The article presents an analysis and generalization of published data from Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, RSCI, Cyberleninka, Google Scholar, as well as provisions of domestic and international regulatory and legislative documents. Results. An analysis of the biological and technological properties of sweeteners based on sweet-tasting proteins (thaumatin, brazzein, curculin, manbilin, miraculin, monellin, pentadin) and their production methods has been carried out. Evidence is presented of the possibility of safe use in food, not only of thaumatin (E957), but also of such proteins as brazzein and monellin. Other sweet-tasting proteins are also of interest for their use as sweeteners and substances modifying food taste. It has been shown that at present the biological properties and mechanism of action of various types of sweet proteins on the human body have not been studied sufficiently. In addition, the use of only plant raw materials for the production of these proteins will not allow their wide application in food industry, which is a limitation for their use as food additives - sweeteners. There are reports on the possibility of including sweet proteins in the treatment protocol for various chronic non-infection diseases, including oncological diseases. Conclusion. The conducted analysis of the properties of sweet taste proteins showed the prospects of their use in food industry as sweeteners, substances modifying food taste and bioactive substances. Due to the fact that an increase in the production of sweet proteins is possible only in the case of using biotechnological methods, producer strains and sweeteners obtained by microbial synthesis can be applied in food industry only after assessing the risks to human health and establishing regulations for their safe use.