2. Academic Validation
  3. Comparative study of rebaudioside A and rebaudioside Aα: physicochemical properties and in vivo metabolism

Comparative study of rebaudioside A and rebaudioside Aα: physicochemical properties and in vivo metabolism

  • NPJ Sci Food. 2025 Nov 14;9(1):225. doi: 10.1038/s41538-025-00585-7.
Hye-Jin Kim # 1,  Hye-Jin Kang # 2,  Sangyi Lim # 3 4,  Ok Cheol Kim 1 5,  Ki-Nam Yoon 2,  Junhyeong Lee 3 4,  Merc Emil Matienzo 3 4,  Min-Jung Park 3,  Bu-Soo Park 6,  Jeong-Yong Cho 1 5,  Seong-Jin Hong 7,  Dong-Il Kim 8 9,  Young-Min Kim 10 11
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea.
  • 2 Research Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea.
  • 3 Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea.
  • 4 College of Veterinary Medicine and BK21 FOUR Program, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea.
  • 5 Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience and Biotehcnology and BK21 FOUR Program, Chonnam National Univerisity, Gwangju, South Korea.
  • 6 Food Biotech R&D Center, Samyang Corp., Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
  • 7 Research Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea. [email protected].
  • 8 Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea. [email protected].
  • 9 College of Veterinary Medicine and BK21 FOUR Program, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea. [email protected].
  • 10 Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea. [email protected].
  • 11 Department of Integrative Food, Bioscience and Biotehcnology and BK21 FOUR Program, Chonnam National Univerisity, Gwangju, South Korea. [email protected].
  • # Contributed equally.
PMID: 41238664 DOI: 10.1038/s41538-025-00585-7
Abstract

Stevioside (ST) and rebaudioside A (Reb A) are 250 times sweeter than sucrose, but their bitterness and low water solubility limit their application. Rebaudioside Aα (Reb Aα) was synthesized using dextransucrase. Reb Aα exhibited 80-fold greater water solubility and lower thermal mass loss than Reb A and had melting point >180 °C. Reb Aα was stable within pH range 1.4-10 and exhibited excellent storage stability in aqueous solution. In vitro digestion revealed that Reb Aα was hydrolyzed into ST and glucose. In vivo, Reb Aα administration did not affect body weight gain, glucose tolerance, energy homeostasis, or liver histology. Also, in the Reb Aα group, inflammatory crown-like structures were not observed in white adipose tissue and uncoupling protein 1 was significantly upregulated in brown adipose tissue. Gut microbiota analysis revealed no significant differences in microbial composition between the control and Reb A or Reb Aα groups.

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