Department of Animal Pathology and Production, Bromatology and Food Technology, Faculty of Veterinary, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontaña s/n, 35413 Arucas, Spain.
Pharmacy Faculty, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jun 8;19(12):7022. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19127022.
Agave syrup (AS), a food product made from agave plant sap, is a vegan sweetener that has become popular for replacing conventional sweeteners such as sucrose. As the demand for naturally derived sweeteners has grown in the last decade, this review paper addresses and discusses, in detail, the most relevant aspects of the chemical AS analysis, applications in the food industry, sustainability issues, safety and quality control and, finally, nutritional profile and health impacts. According to our main research outcome, we can assume that the mid-infrared-principal components analysis, high-performance anion exchange chromatography equipped with a pulsed amperometric detector, and thin-layer chromatography can be used to identify and distinguish syrups from natural sources. The main agave-derived products are juice, leaves, bagasse, and fiber. In sustainability terms, it can be stated that certified organic and free trade agave products are the most sustainable options available on the market because they guarantee products being created without pesticides and according to specific labor standards. The Mexican government and AS producers have also established Mexican guidelines which prohibit using any ingredient, sugar or food additive that derives from sources, apart from agave plants, to produce any commercial AS. Due to its nutritional value, AS is a good source of minerals, vitamins and polyphenols compared to other traditional sweeteners. However, further research into the effects of AS on human metabolism is necessary to back its health claims as a natural sugar substitute.
龙舌兰糖浆（AS）是一种从龙舌兰植物汁液中提取的食品，是一种素食甜味剂，已成为替代蔗糖等传统甜味剂的热门选择。随着人们对天然甜味剂的需求在过去十年中不断增长，本文详细讨论和分析了 AS 在化学分析、食品工业应用、可持续性问题、安全性和质量控制以及营养成分和健康影响等方面的最相关问题。根据我们的主要研究结果，我们可以假设中红外-主成分分析、配备脉冲安培检测器的高效阴离子交换色谱和薄层色谱可用于识别和区分天然来源的糖浆。龙舌兰的主要衍生产品有汁、叶、蔗渣和纤维。在可持续性方面，可以说经过有机认证和自由贸易的龙舌兰产品是市场上最可持续的选择，因为它们保证产品是在没有农药和特定劳动标准的情况下生产的。墨西哥政府和 AS 生产商还制定了墨西哥准则，禁止使用任何除龙舌兰植物以外的成分、糖或食品添加剂来生产任何商业 AS。由于其营养价值，与其他传统甜味剂相比，AS 是矿物质、维生素和多酚的良好来源。然而，需要进一步研究 AS 对人体新陈代谢的影响，以支持其作为天然糖替代品的健康声称。
