Rats Can Taste Degrees of “Sweetness” and Prefer Diet Sweetened with Artificial Sweetner or Sugar Over Plain Diet
Location
CSU 201
Start Date
21-4-2014 11:05 AM
End Date
21-4-2014 12:05 PM
Student's Major
Biological Sciences
Student's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Mentor's Name
Penny Knoblich
Mentor's Email Address
penny.knoblich@mnsu.edu
Mentor's Department
Biological Sciences
Mentor's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Second Mentor's Name
Mary Hadley
Second Mentor's Email Address
mary.hadley@mnsu.edu
Second Mentor's Department
Chemistry and Geology
Second Mentor's College
Science, Engineering and Technology
Third Mentor's Name
David Bissonnette
Third Mentor's Email Address
david.bissonnette@mnsu.edu
Third Mentor's Deparment
Family Consumer Science
Third Mentor's College
Allied Health and Nursing
Description
Soda availability in the U.S is currently estimated at 54 gallons/person/year. Consumers have turned to artificial sweeteners to satisfy their preference for sweetness and to prevent weight gain. It is unclear whether an increased intake of sugar sweetened beverages causes a greater or lesser total caloric intake and body weight gain than a similar intake of artificially sweetened beverages. Although rats are often a model for sweetener studies, their taste preference for sweetness has not been well studied. Method: A total of 20 Wistar-Kyoto rats were fed a liquid diet (Osmolite—Abbott Labs). After a 3 day acclimation to the three sweeteners, each rat was offered 3 feeding bottles, each containing Osmolite sweetened at one of three concentrations of each sweetener: sucrose (5-10-15%), saccharin (0.2, 0.3, 0.4%) or Stevia (0.05, 0.10, 0.20%) to determine the rats’ preferred level of sweetness. Afterwards, each rat was offered a choice between standard Osmolite or Osmolite sweetened with the different sweeteners at the preferred concentrations. Results: The data showed that rats preferred artificially sweetened Osmolite over sugar sweetened and regular Osmolite. Rats preferred the concentrations of 15% sugar, 0.1% stevia, and 0.2% saccharin. Conclusions: Rats do perceive a difference in sweetness and prefer artificially sweetened liquid diets. The weight gain of rats that were fed sugar was not significantly different from the weight gain of rats fed artificial sweetener.
Rats Can Taste Degrees of “Sweetness” and Prefer Diet Sweetened with Artificial Sweetner or Sugar Over Plain Diet
CSU 201
Soda availability in the U.S is currently estimated at 54 gallons/person/year. Consumers have turned to artificial sweeteners to satisfy their preference for sweetness and to prevent weight gain. It is unclear whether an increased intake of sugar sweetened beverages causes a greater or lesser total caloric intake and body weight gain than a similar intake of artificially sweetened beverages. Although rats are often a model for sweetener studies, their taste preference for sweetness has not been well studied. Method: A total of 20 Wistar-Kyoto rats were fed a liquid diet (Osmolite—Abbott Labs). After a 3 day acclimation to the three sweeteners, each rat was offered 3 feeding bottles, each containing Osmolite sweetened at one of three concentrations of each sweetener: sucrose (5-10-15%), saccharin (0.2, 0.3, 0.4%) or Stevia (0.05, 0.10, 0.20%) to determine the rats’ preferred level of sweetness. Afterwards, each rat was offered a choice between standard Osmolite or Osmolite sweetened with the different sweeteners at the preferred concentrations. Results: The data showed that rats preferred artificially sweetened Osmolite over sugar sweetened and regular Osmolite. Rats preferred the concentrations of 15% sugar, 0.1% stevia, and 0.2% saccharin. Conclusions: Rats do perceive a difference in sweetness and prefer artificially sweetened liquid diets. The weight gain of rats that were fed sugar was not significantly different from the weight gain of rats fed artificial sweetener.
Recommended Citation
List, Samantha; Christopher Collins; and Kira Kirchberg. "Rats Can Taste Degrees of “Sweetness” and Prefer Diet Sweetened with Artificial Sweetner or Sugar Over Plain Diet." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 21, 2014.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2014/oral_session_04/2
