Study on the Benefit and Use of Mogroside

Siraitia grosvenorii (罗汉果) is the fruit of a perennial vine in the family Cucurbitaceae. It originated in Longjiang Township, Yongfu County, Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, and is known as the “Oriental Miracle Fruit”. Currently, siraitia grosvenorii is cultivated in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangdong Province, Guizhou Province, Jiangxi Province, Hunan Province, Fujian Province, Yunnan Province and Zhejiang Province, and the cultivated area is increasing year by year [1-2]. Guangxi has the largest area of Luo Han Guo cultivation, and Yongfu County is the largest production base in Guangxi and even in the whole country, with an area of cultivation exceeding 8,000 hm2. The output value of fresh fruit is nearly 2 billion yuan, and the output value of deep processing is more than 8 billion yuan [3]. As a unique economic and medicinal plant in China, Luo Han Guo plays a vital role in helping local people get rid of poverty and build modern characteristic agriculture.

Mogroside (Mogrosides) is the main sweetening component of Luo Han Guo and is a type of cucurbitane triterpene glycoside. Mogroside is also known as Luo Han Guo extract, Luo Han Guo sweet glycoside, Luo Han Guo sweet element, Luo Han Guo saponin, etc. According to GB 2760-2014 “National Food Safety Standard Food Additive Use Standards”, its standardized name is Mogroside. Mogroside is a natural sweetener that is directly extracted from plants without chemical synthesis. Mogroside is about 300 times sweeter than sucrose, has almost no energy, is easily soluble in water and alcohol, is thermally stable in boiling water and not prone to fermentation and mildew. Compared to stevioside, Mogroside has a longer-lasting sweetness, a weaker bitter taste and longer aftertaste [4]. Therefore, it is regarded as a new generation of functional natural sweeteners with broad development prospects.

Research on the sweetening components of Luo Han Guo has been ongoing since the 1970s. In 1975, American scholar Lee used ethanol extraction and column chromatography to study the components of Luo Han Guo and obtained a substance with a sweetness 100 times higher than that of sucrose. He deduced that its component was a triterpene glycoside. Based on Lee's research, researchers have successively extracted more than 10 triterpene sweetening substances from Luohanguo, including mogroside I (Mogroside I), mogroside II E (Mogroside II E), mogroside III (Mogroside III), mogroside III E (Mogroside III E), Mogroside Ⅳ, Mogroside Ⅴ, 11-Oxo-mogroside V, Neomogroside and Siamenoside Ⅰ [5]. These ingredients are collectively referred to as mogrosides, of which mogroside V is the main sweetening ingredient. It is a highly sweet tetracyclic triterpene glycoside. Due to its high sweetness, low energy content, safety and non-toxicity, it has become a popular plant extract in the international market, and demand is gradually increasing.

1 Mogroside Related regulations and standards

In order to regulate the production and application of Luo Han Guo products, relevant departments in various countries have formulated a series of national standards, industry standards, and management regulations to regulate the quality and application of Luo Han Guo related products. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of mogroside in food in 1995, clearly stating that mogroside is a high-intensity sweetener permitted for use in food. In 2007, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare included high-purity monk fruit extract in the “Official Food Additive Standards” as a food additive for management; the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Authority (FSANZ) approved the use of Luo Han Guo extract (Luo Han Guo glycoside) as a powerful sweetener for baking in 2018; the Singaporean Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) Food Regulations were amended in 2019 to allow the use of Luo Han Guo extract containing 20% to 90% Luo Han Guo glycoside V as as a sweetener in food. In July 1996, the 17th meeting of China's Food Additives Committee approved Luo Han Guo sweeteners as a food additive. In order to further standardize the management of health food raw materials, the “Notice of the Ministry of Health on Further Standardizing the Management of Health Food Raw Materials” was issued in 2002. Luohanguo is included in the first batch of “List of Articles that are Both Foods and Drugs” and is a drug-food homologous article. In recent years, with the expansion of drug-food homologous varieties and the popularization of the concept of drug-food homologous, people's awareness of health care, nutrition, and food and drug safety has increased, and the market for Luohanguo products is showing an increasing trend.

In 2014, China's GB 2760-2014 “National Food Safety Standard - Food Additive Use Standards” was formulated and implemented, which stipulates that “Mogroside can be used as a food sweetener in various types of food in appropriate amounts according to production needs,” which also provides a basis for the application of Mogroside. In 2017, the Mogroside national standard GB 1886.77-2016 “Food Additive Mogroside” was officially implemented, clarifying that Mogroside is a food additive refined from Luo Han Guo through processes such as boiling, extraction, concentration, and drying. The Mogroside content is measured in terms of mogroside V. The standard stipulates the sensory requirements and physical and chemical indicators, and provides a method for determining the content of mogroside V by means of an identification test. In 2020, the China Non-staple Food Circulation Association issued “Mogroside” (T/CFCA 0019-2020), which defines mogroside, monk fruit powder, Mogroside, Mogroside powder, Mogroside dried fruit powder, Mogroside sugar, plain Mogroside sugar, flavoured Mogroside sugar, low-sweetness Mogroside sugar and high-sweetness Mogroside sugar. Mogroside sugar is classified according to flavour and process, and sweetness multiple. According to product flavour and process, Mogroside sugar can be divided into plain Mogroside sugar and flavoured Mogroside sugar; according to sweetness multiple, Mogroside can be divided into low-sweetness mogroside and high-sweetness mogroside. The sweetness of low-sweetness mogroside is equivalent to 1 to 4 times the sweetness of sucrose, while the sweetness of high-sweetness mogroside is greater than 4 times the sweetness of sucrose.

In terms of process technology, relevant local standards and group standards have been released and implemented. In 2016, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau issued the local standard DB45/T 1336-2016 “Mogroside Process Technology Regulations”; in 2018, the Guilin Botanical Extraction Association issued the group standard “Mogroside Green Production Process Technology Method” (T/ZWTQ-001-2019), which specifies the terminology and definitions of Mogroside green process technology, production process flow and main equipment, production operation requirements and quality requirements, quality inspection, process requirements, packaging and storage, etc. It not only clarifies the requirements for the quality of Luo Han Guo raw materials, storage conditions, production water and edible alcohol, but also regulates the technological processes in terms of key operating points and control indicators.

As the application of Mogroside in different types of products expands, the standards implemented for foods that add Mogroside also vary. Some sugar-substitute foods implement national standards such as GB 7101-2015 “National Food Safety Standard - Beverages”, GB/T 29602-2013 “Solid Beverages”, GB 31644-2018 “National Food Safety Standard - Compound Seasonings”, and GB 26687-2011 “National Food Safety Standard - General Principles for Food Additive Compounds”. for example, a zero-calorie sweetener made by Ranran Sui with erythritol and mogroside as ingredients implements the compound food additive standard, i.e. GB 26687-2011 “General Principles for Food Additive Compounds”, while some solid drinks and seasoning foods mainly implement the corporate standards of the product manufacturer. For example, the standard for execution of Swire Luohanguo Flavored Sugar is GB/T 29602-2013 “Solid Beverages”, the standard for execution of D Sugar Life Luohanguo Flavoring is Q/YLH 0013 S “Sweet Flavoring”, and the standard for execution of Green Fruit Sweet Luohanguo is “Table Sweetener” (Q/AYHC 0035 S-2019).

2 Mogroside efficacy research

Domestic and foreign scholars have conducted extensive research on the efficacy of Mogroside. Mogroside not only enhances sweetness, but also has physiological functions or special uses. With the continuous exploration of scientific researchers, the effects of Mogroside as a sweetener are being continuously developed and utilized, which lays the foundation for its application in the field of functional foods.

2.1 Regulates blood sugar

Liu Can et al. [6] showed that mogroside, when used as a sweetener, can reduce glucose uptake. Mogroside can also regulate glucose metabolism in four main ways: repairing damaged pancreatic β cells, stimulating insulin secretion, regulating adenosine activated protein kinase, inhibiting the gluconeogenesis pathway and inhibiting the activity of glycosidase in the body. Yuji et al. [7] confirmed in vitro experiments that Mogroside has the effect of inhibiting the activity of maltase in the small intestine. Xu Qing et al. [8] studied the effect of Mogroside on the blood glucose level of normal people and found that a one-time oral administration of 30% mogroside 200 mg·kg-1 had no significant effect on blood glucose levels or liver enzyme activity in healthy adults. A single oral dose of Mogroside 200 mg·kg-1, which is equivalent to 20 times the amount of 10 mg·kg-1 added to normal food, had no significant effect on blood glucose levels in healthy adults, indicating that Mogroside is not significantly converted to glucose in the body. In addition, some related experiments have shown that Mogroside has the effect of lowering blood sugar. Qi Xiangyang et al. [9] found that Luo Han Guo and its sweet extract have a significant hypoglycemic effect on diabetic mice with alloxan, and have a significant preventive and therapeutic effect compared with the hyperglycemic control group. He Chaowen et al. [10] found that postprandial blood glucose production was inhibited in mice fed with Mogroside, and further studies found that glucose conversion rate was reduced and insulin levels were increased.

2.2 Antioxidant effect

Mogroside has a strong antioxidant effect and can effectively remove easily oxidized free radicals. Combining the mechanisms that cause fatigue and aging, researchers have confirmed that Mogroside has anti-fatigue and anti-aging effects. Zou Jian et al. [11] comprehensively evaluated the antioxidant activity of six different Mogroside components using the DPPH method, ABTS method and ORAC method, which are based on the scavenging of free radicals, and the FRAP method, which measures the reducing power of the test substance. Mogroside all showed certain antioxidant activity, The results show that it can be used as a natural antioxidant. Xiao Gang et al. [12] used a mouse D-galactose aging model to compare mice treated with Mogroside with the control group and found that the peroxidation products that cause aging in the mice after treatment were significantly reduced. This indicates that Mogroside's antioxidant effect can inhibit aging. Ding Xiushi et al. [13] pointed out that exercise-induced fatigue is caused by vigorous exercise and low free radical scavenging, and Mogroside can effectively scavenge free radicals and relieve exercise-induced fatigue.

2.3 Cough suppressant and expectorant

Studies have shown that mogroside has the effect of relieving cough and expectorating phlegm, which is the main reason why Luohanguo is used in cough syrup, cough tablets and other medicines. Chen Yao et al. [14] studied the experiments in which mice were fed mogroside, sucrose, glucose, etc., and concluded through parallel and self-control that Mogroside has no significant effect on blood glucose levels. Chemically induced cough in mice, and the frequency of coughing and tracheal secretions were observed after feeding Mogroside solution, which showed that Mogroside has the effect of relieving cough and expectorating. Chen Min et al. [15] adopted the Mogroside extraction process of adding 15 times the water and soaking for 30 minutes, then extracting 3 times for 60 minutes each time, and found that that 50 g·kg-1 of the extract has a certain antitussive expectorant effect. Song et al. [16] found that loganin V reduced ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation, and this effect was related to the NF-κB pathway. This study observed the anti-asthmatic effect of monacolin V on ovalbumin-induced asthma in mice and found that the administration of monacolin V effectively inhibited ovalbumin-induced airway hyperresponsiveness. Monacolin V effectively reduced the levels of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in the F of asthmatic mice, as well as the levels of ovalbumin-specific IgE and IgG1 in the serum.

2.4 Hepatoprotective effect

Xiao et al. [17] showed in a mouse model of liver injury that mogroside can reduce pathological changes in liver tissue by regulating the activity of related enzymes. Chen et al. [18] also showed in a rat model of liver fibrosis that mogroside can regulate enzyme activity and inhibit liver fibrosis. In addition, studies have shown that Mogroside can reduce the body weight of mice fed a high-fat diet and reduce fat accumulation in the liver [19]. These experiments confirm that Mogroside has a protective effect on the liver.

2.5 Laxative, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory

Wang Qin et al. [20] showed that the water extract of Luo Han Guo can increase the water content of the feces and the number of bowel movements in both normal and constipated mice, and has a certain laxative effect, but the specific functional components that play a role are not clear. Chen Yao et al. [21] induced constipation and inflammation (swelling) in mice, and after feeding an appropriate amount of Mogroside solution, measured and compared the relevant indicators of the mice. It was found that the constipation of the mice was relieved, and the swelling caused by some drugs improved. Therefore, it was concluded that Mogroside has a laxative effect.

3 Mogroside food application research

In the traditional food industry, sugars such as sucrose and fructose have always been the main sweeteners. In October 2019, the State Council issued the “Healthy China Action (2019–2030) Outline”, which plans to improve national health from various aspects, and it is mentioned that “it is advocated that the per capita daily intake of added sugars should not exceed 25 g”. As a food additive with high sweetness that does not participate in metabolism and does not provide energy, Mogroside is an ideal substitute for sucrose and is widely used in the food industries such as dairy drinks, solid drinks, seasonings, and candy. In different types of food, some directly add Mogroside, while others add Luo Han Guo powder. As the main active ingredient in Luo Han Guo, Mogroside also acts as a functional sweetener.

3.1 Dairy drinks

The beverage industry is the largest market for Mogroside. Luo Han Guo compound drinks, compound herbal teas, Luo Han Guo vinegar, Luo Han Guo milk drinks, etc., are constantly emerging and are widely loved by consumers. Many researchers have studied the products and optimized the formulas to obtain products with better flavor and nutritional value. Wang Shupei et al. [22] combined Luo Han Guo extract with Wuyi cinnamon tea to develop a Luo Han Guo compound tea drink with an excellent taste and health benefits. Liu Guoling et al. [23] used Luo Han Guo, celery and chamomile as raw materials explored an optimized formula and developed a low-sugar beverage suitable for diabetic patients; Shanghai Nord Bio-Industry Co., Ltd. [24] developed four fruit juice drinks, in which the amount of added Mogroside was less than 0.2%, without added sugar, and mentioned that Mogroside can also be used as a drink to drink directly. In addition, some food and beverage companies also add the sweetening ingredient mogroside to their products. For example, Simple 100 Greek yogurt contains a natural sweetening ingredient combination in its formula, including fresh mogroside extract, stevia extract and concentrated sugarcane juice; and mogroside extract is also added to the fruit drink Ocean's Words.

3.2 Solid drinks

Ingredients in products such as Luo Han Guo-flavored sugar (flavored solid drinks) often contain erythritol, Mogroside, and other ingredients. The amount of Mogroside added is low, and the sweetness of the product is similar to that of white sugar. Some foods that focus on the “zero calorie sugar” concept add Luo Han Guo powder, which also uses Mogroside to flavor the product, and is finally compounded into a zero calorie, zero-calorie sugar substitute. For example, Baishouyuan's zero-calorie sugar is made from erythritol, stevia and monk fruit powder, using co-crystallization technology. Its implementation standard is GB/T 29602-2013 “Solid Beverages”, which is a category of solid beverages. It is consumed by mixing it with warm boiled water.

3.3 Seasonings

Table-top sweeteners in China that have been added with mogroside or monk fruit extract are mostly sugar substitutes or non-sugar food seasonings. Mogroside is often used in combination with erythritol in the ingredients. Due to the high sweetness of monk fruit glycosides, they can be added to table-top seasonings in a very small proportion. Red cotton monk fruit sugar is a table sweetener made from erythritol and mogroside. The packaging provides scientific information about sweetness, stating that 1 teaspoon of monk fruit sugar is equivalent to 2 teaspoons of white sugar. Schokoman also has a monk fruit sugar table sweetener product made from erythritol and monk fruit powder. It can be used in a similar way to sugar and is suitable for baking, drinks, coffee, drinks and dishes, etc., with 0 energy, 0 carbohydrates and 0 fat shown in the nutrition facts table; the Japanese-made sweetener Legan Jian is a compound sweetener made from erythritol and mogroside, of which the amount of mogroside added is 0.3%. This sweetener can be used in coffee, tea, milk, soy milk and drinks. The product packaging mentions that it is recommended for use in coffee, black tea, etc., can be used instead of white sugar, without changing the original flavor of the drink. It is recommended to use 3g per 100 mL of drink. In Starbucks and other coffee shops in the United States, natural sweeteners are available in the “sugar packs” on the counter for self-service. The ingredients are stevia and monk fruit extract. Some milk tea companies in China have also introduced monk fruit sugar and stevia sugar in time to meet the special needs of people who control their sugar intake.

3.4 Sweets

The physiological effects and refreshing flavor of Luo Han Guo are also suitable for use in functional foods. Zhou Zhide et al. [25] developed a Luo Han Guo chewing gum with health benefits using Mogroside as the main sweetener and active ingredient. The antibacterial effect of the product was verified using the antibacterial zone method. He Weiping et al. [26] developed a low GI nutritional powder using Luo Han Guo as the raw material. The nutritional elements are similar to milk powder, with lower calories and lower in calories and carbohydrates than milk powder, and higher in dietary fiber. It is a low-sugar functional food that can regulate blood sugar stability. Some manufacturers also use Mogroside in candy to make sugar-free candy or sugar substitute products with certain effects. For example, the ingredients of the American-made Biteroll sugar-free lollipops include Mogroside in addition to resistant dextrin, erythritol, xylitol, citric acid, and other ingredients.

4 Conclusion

Mogroside has the characteristics of high sweetness, low energy, and compliance with food safety requirements. It has made certain research progress in regulating blood sugar, anti-oxidation, liver protection, relieving cough and phlegm, laxative and antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. However, further research is still needed in the direction of clarifying product classification, functional food development, technological innovation, and consumer acceptance.

(1) China still needs to clarify the classification and scope of mogroside products in combination with the application fields of mogroside-related products, further standardize the processing of mogroside-related products, and ensure the safety of product applications.

(2) The application and development of Mogroside functional foods has great prospects, but its functions have not yet been fully explored and utilized. As a sweetener with medicinal and edible properties, the pharmacological effects of Mogroside are often overlooked. In the product development process, attention must be paid to its effects and its potential value must continue to be explored in order to develop functional, high value-added products that can meet the needs of different groups of people.

(3) Mogroside is permitted as a food additive in China and can be added to all foods as needed. However, the current related products have a single structure and are highly homogeneous. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the research and development efforts of cooperation between enterprises and scientific research units, strengthen the technological innovation of Luo Han Guo applications, continuously improve product quality, enrich product categories, meet differentiated needs, and promote the development of the Luo Han Guo sweetener industry.

(4) In order to improve the awareness of Mogroside-related products and further gain consumer recognition, the Food Industry Association, Mogroside manufacturers, universities/research institutes and downstream food and beverage companies can establish an industry alliance to jointly promote science education and publicity on the use and safety of Mogroside, in order to further promote Mogroside products.

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