Question: Which of the following are artificial sweeteners? This question has multiple correct options (A)...

Question

Which of the following are artificial sweeteners?
This question has multiple correct options
(A). Sodium benzoate
(B). Saccharin
(C). Galactose
(D). Aspartame

Answer 1

Solution

Artificial sweeteners are a substitute of sugar. They are added in food to provide a sweet taste, similar to that of sugar, but however, the artificial sweeteners contain significantly less food energy than the sugar-based sweeteners making it a zero-calorie or low-calorie sweetener.

Complete step by step answer:
Artificial sweeteners are used as the substitutes for the natural sugar. These are low-calorie sweeteners.
A). Sodium benzoate is a food preservative. It is classified under chemical methods of food preservation. It is added to food to inhibit, retard or arrest the process of fermentation, acidification or other decomposition of food by growth of microbes.
B). Saccharin is an artificial sweetening agent. It has a sweet taste but no food value. It goes directly through the human digestive system without being digested. It is approximately $550$ times more sweet than cane sugar.
C). Galactose is simple sugar that is normally transformed in the liver being used up as the energy. This sugar is quite abundant in human diets and helps in a number of functions. Because it is a precursor to glucose production, it is an important energy providing nutrients.
D). Aspartame is an artificial sweetening agent. It is about $100$ times sweeter than cane sugar. It is used in cold foods as it is unstable at higher temperature. It has a sweet taste but no food value.
So, the answer is only (B) and (D)
(C) Cannot be the answer as it is sugar not an artificial sweetener.

Example of artificial sweeteners:
Aspartame (Nutrasweet and equal), sucralose (Splenda), acesulfame potassium neotame and saccharin.

So, the correct answer is Option B,D .

Note:
Alitame is an aspartic acid containing dipeptide sweetener. Alitame is a second generation dipeptide sweetener. Alitame has no aftertaste and is around $2000$ times sweeter than sucrose and $10$ time sweeter than aspartame.