December 3/Technology News Focus -- "The process of radical generation occurring upon thermal treatment of potato and corn starch containing sweeteners: saccharose, acesulfam K, aspartame and sorbitol was investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, using Cu2+ ions as a paramagnetic probe," investigators in Krakow, Poland, report.
"It was found that the influence of acesulfam K and sorbitol on radical formation is stronger than that of other additives. Acesulfam K increased the amount of radicals in the starch compared to native starch, whereas sorbitol significantly decreased their concentration," wrote M. Labanowska and colleagues, Jagiellonian University.