METABOLISM AND PHARMACOKINETICS OF SUCROSE ACETATE ISOBUTYRATE (SAIB)AND SUCROSE OCTAISOBUTYRATE (SOIB) IN RATS, DOGS, MONKEYS OR HUMANS -A REVIEW

Sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB), a mixture of esters of sucrose wit h a composition approximating the name sucrose diacetate hexaisobutyra te, has been used for over 30 years in many countries as a 'weighting' or 'density-adjusting' agent in non-alcoholic carbonated and non-carb onated beverages. As part of the demonstration of safety of SAIB as a direct food additive in human diets, a number of metabolism and pharma cokinetic studies have been carried out on SAIB and the constituent co mpound sucrose octaisobutyrate (SOIB). These studies are reviewed here in order to present in one volume a complete picture of the safety st udies that have been done on SAIB relevant to its use as a direct food additive. The metabolism and pharmacokinetic studies in rats, dogs an d humans show that SAIB is extensively metabolized in the gastrointest inal tract, probably to sucrose and partially acylated sucrose. Partia lly acylated sucrose appears, along with sucrose, to be readily absorb ed from the gut, perhaps with inversion, although a considerable porti on of ingested SAIB and partially deesterified SAIB is eliminated in t he faeces. The absorbed materials are readily eliminated in the urine and the bile or, after further metabolism, as carbon dioxide and water . SOIB is less readily metabolized in the gut of rats, dogs and monkey s than is SAIB, suggesting that the presence of acetyl groups facilita tes the metabolism of fully acylated sucrose. In toro, the studies sug gest that humans handle SAIB more like rats than like dogs. (C) 1998 E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.