Bordas works and carries out several research with the aim of expanding the range of application of citrus bioflavonoids, participating in national and international R&D projects. Our final interest is to provide a great number of more adaptive solutions to our customers’ needs.

The SweetFood project, carried out by Bordas in collaboration with IATA-CSIC (R+D+I CIEN, CDTI), lays the foundations in the search for the reduction of sugar in the formulation of food and beverages through the use of new sweeteners obtained from natural sources, with scientific evidence regarding their safety and/or benefits for human health, satisfying social needs and expectations and contributing to the policies of the World Health Organization.

The Neohesperidin Dihidrochalcona Bordas , considered an intensive and non-nutritive sweetener, is a flavonoid obtained from natural sources, such as the Bitter Orange of Seville (Citrus Aurantium).

According to the EU Regulation, Neohesperidin DC is approved as an aromatic ingredient, sweetener and flavor enhancer, with the code E-959, CAS No 20702-77-6 and FL No 16.061.

In addition, it is also approved and regulated in countries such as the United States and Japan.

This raw material is obtained from the bitter orange farms owned by Bordas’, which allows the company to have an absolute control of the quality and traceability of each one.

Neohesperidin DC Bordas is recognised as a multitask, economic and stable solution to face different challenges in many sectors.

Due to its versatility, Neohesperidin DC can be used in different food industries and with different desired effects, such as sweetener, taste enhancer and masking agent of undesired flavours.

The technological innovation of Bordas in the project is consolidated the identification of the harmlessness and/or human health benefits of the sweetener Neohesperidin DC Bordas, and its specific formulation with the aim of adapting it to the characteristics of each application, food, and drink to which it is intended

The main objectives of the project are as follows:

1. To determine if the ingestion of the sweetener Neohesperidin DC Bordas modifies markers of obesity and/or produces alterations in glucose metabolism and in the expression of taste receptors.
2. To determine whether the sweetener Neohesperidin DC Bordas produces any benefit on glucose metabolism.
3. To evaluate the influence of the sweetener Neohesperidin DC Bordas on the composition of the human intestinal microbiota.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

1. Forty male mice of 9 weeks old were used. Once normalized, they were randomly distributed into five experimental groups (n=8).
2. The groups were fed during 8 weeks with:

• • Control diet with a 10% intake of fat kcal.
  • “Western diet” (WD) with a contribution of 45% kcal from fat and 17% kcal from sucrose.
  • WD + Neohesperidin DC Bordas (5 mg/kg body weight).

3. The biochemical analyses were performed on different parameters depending on the objectives.

OBJETIVE 1. To determine if the ingestion of the sweetener Neohesperidin DC Bordas modifies:

• The function of the intestinal barrier: The expression of intestinal barrier function markers, Claudin 3 and Occludin, was quantified in the small intestine. Cldn3 and Occludin are proteins with a structural function that promote intestinal barrier function.
• The markers of obesity: levels of lipid metabolism markers such as triglycerides and plasma cholesterol were quantified.
• The metabolism of glucose: in recent years, it has been proposed that an inflammatory intestinal response precedes and accelerates the development of metabolic problems associated with obesity, which can lead to chronic pathologies such as type 2 diabetes.
  The expression of cytokines related to the inflammatory response was quantified as the Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α) and Interleukin (IL)-1, small proteins produced mainly by lymphocytes that regulate the mechanism of inflammation.
• The expression of taste receptors: The expression of the sweet-tasting intestinal receptor T1r3 (glucose receptor) and the short-chain fatty acid receptors GPR41 and GPR43, both belonging to the nutrient signaling pathway, have been analyzed.
  

OBJETIVE 2. To determine whether the sweetener Neohesperidin DC Bordas produces any benefit on glucose metabolism.

Insulin is the hormone responsible for maintaining basal glucose levels and, when a state of insulin resistance is developed, higher insulin levels are needed to reach the basal glycemic state. 

A high level of insulin in the blood causes low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). Hypoglycemia can be mild, leading to symptoms such as anxiety and hunger; or it may be severe with seizures, coma, and even death.

In this direction, the possible variation in glucose metabolism was determined, being one of the main markers for possible metabolic abnormalities. 

The intestinal microbiota is indispensable for the proper functioning of the organism, the development of the immune system, the prevention of colonization by other pathogenic microorganisms, at the same time it is thought to stimulate the production of vitamins B and K, and to improve the food digestive process.

The intake of certain sweeteners has been associated with undesirable changes in the composition of the gut microbiota which, in turn, contributed to worsening the metabolic response to the diet.

MATERIAL Y METHODS

The composition of the intestinal microbiota has been analyzed with two different methods and types of samples described below:

• IN VIVO STUDY
  1. Faecal samples were collected from six normal weight subjects (BMI<24.9) and six overweight or obese subjects (BMI>25).
  2. The donors were aged between 24-44 years old. Weight and height data as well as BMI were recorded prior to the test.
• IN VITRO STUDY
  1. Fermentation of the digested sweetener in vitro (0.3 ml) was carried out by adding it to a volume of faeces suspension (2.7 ml) and incubating it for 24 h in anaerobiosis (AnaeroGemTM, Oxoid).

OBJETIVE 3. To evaluate the influence of the sweetener Neohesperidin DC Bordas on the composition of the human intestinal microbiota.

Prebiotics are naturally found in several fruits and vegetables, especially those that contain complex carbohydrates, such as fiber and resistant starch. These carbohydrates are not digestible by the body, so they pass through the digestive system to become food for bacteria and other microorganisms.

Please, do not hesitate to contact us if for further information about the amazing project results and to discover how Neohesperidin DC Bordas can improve your formulations.