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.

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Apr 21st, 11:05 AM Apr 21st, 12:05 PM

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