Scientists Have Found a Way to Make Sweeteners Even Sweeter

Some scientists dedicate their professional lives to exposing the ills of sweet food, while others just want to make it sweeter.

This appears to be the case with a team of scientists from Kyoto University who used a method of protein modification to make thaumatin, one of the sweetest natural sugar substitutes on the market, even sweeter.

Thaumatin is derived from the proteins of the katemfe fruit from West Africa and is widely used in "natural" diet drinks and candies because of its low-calorie content and ability to mask bitterness.

The first step of the Kyoto study involved taking X-rays of the chemical structure of thaumatin. By mapping out this structure, the team of reasearchers were able to pinpoint the proteins responsible for sweetness. Finally, they replaced one amino acid (aspartic acid) with another (asparagine) and succeeded in making thaumatin 1.7 times sweeter than before.

But in this case, the researchers are using their newfound sweetening powers for good, not evil. If anything, these results could help combat the onslaught of sugar-related illnesses.

"Making natural sweeteners stronger could be a huge plus to the food industry, especially as there are concerns regarding the consumption of low-calorie sugar substitutes to prevent lifestyle-related diseases," lead author Tetsuya Masuda said in a press release.

The research also sheds light on an ingredient which has not always been well understood and which only elicits the perception of sweetness in humans and primates.

"For a long time the mechanism in which we taste sweetness from thaumatin was a mystery, and for that reason it took very long to sweeten it up," Masuda added. "Now that we've taken steps in the right direction, I'm excited about developing applications for a stronger form of thaumatin."

An even stronger form of thaumatin? These scientists are unstoppable.