ABSTRACT
Key Points ........................................................................................................................................99 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 100 Regulation and Consumption of Nonnutritive Sweeteners (NNS) ............................................... 100
How Are NNSs Regulated? ....................................................................................................... 100 What Types of Foods and Beverages Are Sweetened with NNSs? ........................................... 104 How Common Is NNS consumption? ....................................................................................... 104 How Do Consumers Identify Foods and Beverages with NNSs? ............................................. 104
Biological Effects of NNSs ............................................................................................................ 105 How Are NNSs Recognized by the Body?................................................................................ 105 Where Are Sweet-Taste Receptors Located? ............................................................................ 105 Do NNSs Have Effects via Extra-Oral Taste Receptors? .......................................................... 106
Health Effects of NNSs .................................................................................................................. 106 Is There a Relationship between NNS Consumption and Body Weight? ................................. 106 What Are Plausible Explanations for the Observed Association between NNSs and Body Weight in Epidemiologic Studies? ............................................................................ 107 What Have Intervention Trials Determined about NNSs and Body Weight? ........................... 107 Is the Consumption of NNSs Associated with Other Adverse Health Effects? ........................ 108 Do NNSs Activate Reward Pathways in the Brain? .................................................................. 108
Unanswered Questions and Future Directions ............................................................................... 108 References ...................................................................................................................................... 109
• Sweet-taste receptors are located on taste buds of the tongue and in the oral cavity, and also on specic cells in the small intestine, pancreas, biliary tract, and lungs.
