Responses to an intense sweetener in humans: immediate preference and delayed effects on intake

Preferences for five aspartame concentrations (0.008, 0.028, 0.094, 0.235 and 0.627%) in a dairy product were assessed in men and women by 1) brief-exposure sensory evaluation tests and 2) intake tests. Sensory evaluation gave different preferred concentrations as compared to actual intake. In sensory evaluation tests, the lowest three intensities were preferred by most subjects; in intake tests, 0.028% was clearly preferred. The 24-h spontaneous food intake after intake test sessions was recorded. A peak of 24-h energy intake was observed after intake of 0.028% aspartame yogurt. This peak was 400 kcal higher than the 24-h caloric intake observed after tests of the sweetest yogurt (p less than 0.01), much more than accounted for by differences in yogurt intake. So the intake of yogurt plus aspartame exerted strong delayed effects. These effects are likely dependent on sensory factors (concentration) rather than postingestive mechanisms (dose).