CYPHA(TM) [PROPIONIC-ACID, 2-(4-METHOXYPHENOL) SALT] INHIBITS SWEET TASTE IN HUMANS, BUT NOT IN RATS

Cypha(TM), propionic acid, 2-(4-methoxyphenol) salt, is a commercially available sweet taste inhibitor used in food products. The present st udy examined whether or not Cypha(TM) blacked the sweet taste response of rats. This was accomplished by measuring the consummatory response of rats to sucrose solutions during short-term taste tests. Nondepriv ed female rats were given 2-bottle choice tests (10 min) with differen t sucrose solutions. When given the choice between 10% sucrose and 10% sucrose containing Cypha(TM) at concentrations of 0.0125% to 0.10%, t he rats showed no reliable preference for one or the other solution. I n other tests, they reliably preferred 10% sucrose to 8%, 6%, and 4% s ucrose, demonstrating the sensitivity of the behavioral test. To confi rm the activity of the Cypha(TM) sample, a second experiment was condu cted with human subjects. Using a visual analogue scale, the subjects rated the sweetness of various sucrose solutions (0% to 10%) and 10% s ucrose solutions containing Cypha(TM) at concentrations of 0.0125% or 0.025%. Cypha(TM) reliably reduced the sweetness ratings of the sucros e solution. The 10% sucrose + 0.0125% Cypha(TM) solution wits judged i sosweet to 2.3-2.9% sucrose, and the 10% sucrose + 0.025% Cypha(TM) so lution was rated as isosweet to a 1.2% sucrose solution. Taken togethe r, these data confirm prior reports on the sweetness-inhibitory effect of Cypha(TM) in humans and demonstrate its ineffectiveness in rats. T hese findings are consistent with other reported differences between r ats and humans in their response to other sweetness inhibitors, as wel l as to artificial sweeteners. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Inc .