A Natural Sweetener with Anti-Inflammatory Potential

A recent study by the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich has identified the production of bitter-tasting peptides in the stomach during the digestion of thaumatin, a natural sweetener. These peptides have been shown to influence human stomach cells by stimulating acid secretion and modulating inflammatory responses. The research, led by Veronika Somoza, provides new insights into the health effects of thaumatin, which is widely used in foods and beverages.

The team, building on previous studies of bitter compounds in food, used a human gastric cell line (HGT-1) to test the interaction of bitter peptides with stomach cells. Their findings indicate that peptides formed during the breakdown of thaumatin can stimulate proton release, contributing to acid production. Additionally, the study explored the anti-inflammatory properties of these peptides, particularly in response to Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium associated with stomach inflammation and cancer. The team found that one of the peptides reduced the release of the pro-inflammatory molecule interleukin 17A by up to 89.7%, with the bitter taste receptor TAS2R16 playing a key role.

These results suggest that the physiological impact of thaumatin and its bitter peptides may extend beyond sweetness, warranting further investigation into their role in managing inflammatory gastric conditions. The study, published in Food Chemistry, emphasizes the potential health implications of these findings, particularly concerning H. pylori infections.