Physicochemical properties of sweeteners in artificial saliva and determination of a hydrophobicity scale for some sweeteners

Saliva, the first physiological secretion induced by ingestion of food or beverages, plays an extensive role in the oral cavity and in taste perception. The influence of salts and proteins (the major constituents of saliva) on physicochemical properties of sweeteners is studied. Previous findings on the effects of KCl, NaCl and MgCl₂ on sweetener properties are now completed with the study of CaCl₂. Ca²⁺ modifies the type of hydration of sugars and polyols and has a detergent effect on sweet solutions. As water structure is sensitive to the presence of salts, physico-chemical properties of sugars, polyols and intense sweeteners are determined in artificial saliva. Proteins also play a major part in hydration and surface properties of stimuli in saliva. All physicochemical properties determined in this work help in the mechanistic elucidation of sweet taste chemoreception. A scale of hydrophobicity is established for some sweeteners using partition coefficient and contact angle measurements.