ABOUT THE ISA SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUMThere is a global consensus on the need to reduce excessive sugar consumption. This has led to an increased interest in the use of low/no calorie sweeteners as a strategy to reduce sugar intake, with a parallel assessment of the science on their safety and benefits. The Symposium proposed by the International Sweeteners Association (ISA) aims to inform delegates of the latest scientific developments on low/no calorie sweeteners and the physiology of sweet taste with the participation of three multidisciplinary speakers.
Dr. Stéphane Pirnay will review fundamental principles and protocols for the evaluation and re-evaluation of the safety of sweeteners by health authorities such as the Joint Scientific Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) at the international level, as well as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in Europe. He will also address the role of the European Commission, which is drafting – following the publication of a positive scientific opinion by EFSA – a proposal for the authorisation of the use of the sweetener in question in foods and beverages on the European market.
Dr Sandrine Chometton will review the state of knowledge on the modalities of the perception of sweet taste in humans. Although humans have an innate preference for sweetness, the physiology of sweet taste in humans is complex. Recent research has provided a better understanding of the mechanisms involved, and in particular the role of receptors, in the perception of sweet taste.
Dr Julie-Anne Nazare will present the latest data on the impact of low/no calorie sweetened foods and beverages on satiety and appetite, in particular those from the European SWEET project. This project, funded by the European Commission under Horizon 2020, aims to study the long-term benefits and potential risks of sweeteners and sweetness enhancers in the context of public health and safety, obesity and sustainability (https://sweetproject.eu/).
Please find below the detailed scientific programme of the ISA Symposium at JFN 2024:
ISA SYMPOSIUM (SY06) – Thursday, 5 December 2024, 12:15 – 13:45 CET
Room: Marie Curie – B
Title: Recent data on the safety and impact of low/no calorie sweeteners on appetite and on the physiology of sweet taste
Moderator: Dr Jean-Michel LECERF, Institut Pasteur de Lille, France
Programme:
- 12h15 – 12h20: Introduction from the moderator Dr Jean-Michel Lecerf
- 12h20 – 12h40: “Procedures for the evaluation of low/no calorie sweeteners by the European (EFSA) and international (JECFA) health authorities and approval by the European Commission” – Speaker: Dr Stéphane PIRNAY, Alfortville, France
- 12h40 – 13h00: “The physiology of sweet taste in humans” – Speaker: Dr Sandrine CHOMETTON, CSGA Dijon, France
- 13h00 – 13h20: “Do low/no calorie sweetened foods and beverages impact appetite and satiety? A review of clinical evidence and new results from the European SWEET project” – Speaker: Dr Julie-Anne NAZARE, CRNH Lyon, France
- 13h20 – 13h45: Questions and answers session moderated by Dr Jean-Michel Lecerf
