Sustained hunger suppression from stable liquid food foams

Area of Science:

• Food science and nutrition
• Gastroenterology
• Appetite regulation

Background:

• Gas aeration of food matrices can immediately suppress appetite.
• The duration of appetite suppression from aerated foods is not well-established.
• Nitrous oxide (N2 O) aeration offers potential for sustained in-body stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if liquids aerated with nitrous oxide (N2 O) enhance and sustain appetite suppression.
• To determine the duration of appetite suppression effects from aerated liquids.

Main Methods:

• Two randomized cross-over studies collected appetite ratings over 240 minutes.
• Participants consumed full or half portions of liquid or aerated drinks.
• Study 2 assessed the effect of N2 O vs. CO2 in water after a mini-drink.

Main Results:

• Aerated drinks significantly reduced hunger over 4 hours by 26% (full) and 50% (half) compared to liquid versions.
• Appetite suppression effects were significantly prolonged, with time-to-return-to-baseline extended.
• Nitrous oxide (N2 O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) showed similar effects on appetite ratings.

Conclusions:

• Microstructural design through food aeration has a potent impact on appetite regulation.
• Aeration, particularly with N2 O, can lead to sustained reductions in hunger.
• This approach offers a promising strategy for managing eating motivations through food science.