ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT05794100Updated Apr 3, 2023

Evaluating the Impact of Different Sugar Replacer Combinations on Gastrointestinal Tolerance

An interventional study of Acute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator in Tolerance and Healthy Population, sponsored by Mondelēz International, Inc.. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 55 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-04-03.

Sponsored by Mondelēz International, Inc. · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
60
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 55 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study is a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial aiming at evaluating the gastrointestinal tolerance of 3 sugar replacers mixes at 3 different doses. The investigators will also try to understand the factors that could explain the presence or absence of symptoms

Read the detailed description

This study is a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial with 23 visits consisting of one screening visit, one baseline visit, and 21 study visits (10 test periods each consisting of 2 test visits and one drop-off visit) across 11 weeks. For this study, 60 generally healthy subjects will be randomized to a test sequence and will consume one control product and nine test products over the course of the study. Before consumption of any study products, breath hydrogen lactulose assessment and collection of stool samples for microbiome analysis will be completed. Additionally, midway through the study, data will be reviewed in a blinded manner and a stool sample will be collected from a subset of 30 subjects for in vitro fermentation tests. Gastrointestinal symptoms and stool information will be collected using the Gastrointestinal Tolerance Questionnaire (GITQ) and Bowel Habit Diary with Bristol Stool Scale (BHD-BSS). The GITQ and BHD-BSS will be administered for 3 days and 7 days prior to study product consumption, respectively. Additionally, the GITQ and BHD-BSS will be collected throughout the day of study product consumption and the 2 days after product consumption. 24-h urine samples will be collected after study product consumption for urinary allulose analysis.

02

Conditions studied

  • Tolerance
  • Healthy Population

Keywords

  • Sugar replacer
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms
  • GITQ
  • BHD-BSS
  • Acute
  • microbiota
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Mondelēz International, Inc. is the lead sponsor of 27 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 55 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Male or female, 18-55 years of age, inclusive at Visit 1 (Day -11).
  2. of 18.5 to 32.0 kg/m2, inclusive, at Visit 1 (Day -11).
  3. Have normal bowel movement habit (\<3 bowel movements/d to >2 bowel movements/week) based on the BHD-BSS collected at Visit 2 (Day -4).
  4. Consumes fiber at an amount no more than the average American diet [based on consumption of high-fiber containing plant-based foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, legumes, pulses, nuts, and products labeled as good or excellent sources of fiber)].
  5. Smokes 10 cigarettes or less in a day and has no plan to change nicotine habits during the study period.
  6. Non-user or former users (cessation ≥12 mo) of any marijuana or hemp products and has no plans to use marijuana or hemp products during the study period.
  7. Willing to maintain habitual dietary, lifestyle, and physical activity (with exceptions per study instructions) throughout the trial and willing to adhere to dietary, lifestyle, and physical activity requirements of the study.
  8. Willing to limit alcohol consumption to ≤3 standard drinks/d and ≤7 standard drinks/week throughout the trial.
  9. Willing to refrain from exclusionary medications, supplements, and products throughout the study.
  10. No health conditions that would prevent him/her from fulfilling the study requirements as judged by the Clinical Investigator on the basis of medical history and routine laboratory test results.
  11. Understands the study procedures and signs forms providing to participate in the study and authorizes the release of relevant protected health information to the Clinical Investigator.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Moderate or severe GI symptoms or 3-d total score of >2 for any individual GI symptom based on the baseline GITQ collected at Visit 2 (Day -4). Mild burping and/or flatulence totaling a 3-d score of >2 is acceptable.
  2. Has a GI-related reaction towards GI symptom-causing foods (e.g., beans and legumes, vegetables high in inulin, sodas or fruit drinks, sugar alcohols, inulin, fructooligosaccharides, gluten, and dairy products [see Appendix 3]) as judged by the Clinical Investigator.
  3. Female subjects who typically experience change in GI symptoms or bowel habits (e.g., increased or decreased laxation, bloating, abdominal cramping) at the time of menstruation. Subjects with these issues may be included if they are able to reliably predict the onset and duration of their menstruation-related symptoms (e.g., always occur only during the first two days of menses), in the judgment of the Clinical Investigator. Test visits will be scheduled around menses.
  4. Female subjects who is unwilling to wear a tampon during the collection of the 24-h urine samples when these collections occur during the time of menstruation.
  5. Abnormal laboratory test results of clinical significance at Visit 1 (Day -11), at the discretion of the Clinical Investigator. One re-test will be allowed on a separate day prior to Visit 2 (Day -4), for subjects with abnormal laboratory test results.
  6. Clinically important GI condition that would potentially interfere with the evaluation of the study products (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gastric reflux, indigestion, dyspepsia, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, history of surgery for weight loss, gastroparesis, and clinically significant lactose or gluten intolerance or other food or ingredient allergies).
  7. Recent (within 2 weeks of Visit 1; Day -11) history of an episode of acute GI illness such as nausea/vomiting or diarrhea (defined as ≥3 loose or liquid stools/d).
  8. Self-reported history (within 6 weeks of Visit 1; Day -11) of constipation or diarrhea at the discretion of the Clinical Investigator.
  9. Uncontrolled and/or clinically important pulmonary (including uncontrolled asthma), cardiac (including, but not limited to, atherosclerotic disease, history of myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial disease, stroke), hepatic, renal, endocrine (including Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus), hematologic, immunologic, neurologic (such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease), psychiatric (including depression and/or anxiety disorders) or biliary disorders. Conditions which are well-controlled or resolved will be assessed by the Clinical Investigator on a case-by-case basis.
  10. Uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg) as defined by the blood pressure measured at Visit 1 (Day -11). One re-test will be allowed on a separate day prior to Visit 2 (Day 0), for subjects whose blood pressure exceeds either of these cut points at Visit 1 (Day -11), in the judgment of the Clinical Investigator. If taken, the repeat blood pressure measurement will be used to determine eligibility. Stable use of hypertension medication is allowed [defined as no change in medication regimen within the 3 mo prior to Visit 1 (Day -11)].
  11. Any known food allergy as well as intolerance or sensitivity to study product ingredients (Appendix 13).
  12. Extreme dietary habits or physical activity patterns at the discretion of the Clinical Investigator.
  13. History or presence of cancer in the prior 2 y, except for non-melanoma skin cancer.
  14. Major trauma or any other surgical event within 3 mo of Visit 1 (Day -11).
  15. Signs or symptoms of an active infection of clinical relevance within 5 d of Visit 1 (Day -11). The visit may be rescheduled such that all signs and symptoms have resolved (at the discretion of the Clinical Investigator) at least 5 d prior to Visit 1 (Day -11)*
  16. Weight loss or gain > 4.5 kg in the 3 mo prior to Visit 1 (Day -11).
  17. Currently or planning to be on a weight loss regimen during the study.
  18. Antibiotic, antifungal, or antiparasitic use within 3 mo of Visit 1 (Day -11) and throughout the study period.
  19. Use of within 1 mo of Visit 1 (Day -11) and throughout the study period. Use of nasal and non-prescription topical treatments is allowed.
  20. Chronic use (i.e., daily on a regular basis) of anti-inflammatory medications (e.g., NSAIDS) within 1 mo of Visit 1 (Day -11).
  21. Use of medications (over-the-counter or prescription) and/or dietary supplements, known to influence GI function, including but not limited to prebiotics or probiotics, laxatives, enemas, fiber supplements and/or suppositories, antacids, anti-diarrheal agents, and/or anti-spasmodic within 3 weeks of Visit 1 (Day -11). Standard multivitamin and mineral supplements are allowed.
  22. Participated in endoscopy or endoscopy preparation within 3 mo prior to Visit 1 (Day -11).
  23. Exposure to any non-registered drug product within 4 weeks prior to Visit 1 (Day -11).
  24. Female who is pregnant, planning to be pregnant during the study period, lactating, or is of and is unwilling to commit to the use of a medically approved form of throughout the study period. Subjects who are pregnant during the study will be discontinued.
  25. Recent history (within 12 mo of screening; Visit 1; Day -11) of alcohol or substance abuse. Alcohol abuse is defined as >14 drinks/week (1 drink = 12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, or 1½ oz distilled spirits).
  26. Has a condition the Clinical Investigator believes would interfere with his ability to provide , comply with the study protocol, which might confound the interpretation of the study results, or put the subject at undue risk.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(6)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

BMI (body mass index)

Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.

What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Clinically significant

Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
60 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Test 1

    No-sugar chewable candy containing Soluble Corn Fiber + Inulin + Allulose provided at a dose of 1 serving equivalent

    Other: Acute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator

  • Active comparator
    Test 2

    No-sugar chewable candy containing Soluble Corn Fiber + Inulin + Allulose provided at a dose of 1.75 serving equivalent

    Other: Acute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator

  • Active comparator
    Test 3

    No-sugar chewable candy containing Soluble Corn Fiber + Inulin + Allulose provided at a dose of 2.5 serving equivalent

    Other: Acute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator

  • Active comparator
    Test 4

    No-sugar chewable candy containing Soluble Corn Fiber + Inulin + FOS provided at a dose of 1 serving equivalent

    Other: Acute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator

  • Active comparator
    Test 5

    No-sugar chewable candy containing Soluble Corn Fiber + Inulin + FOS provided at a dose of 1.75 serving equivalent

    Other: Acute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator

  • Active comparator
    Test 6

    No-sugar chewable candy containing Soluble Corn Fiber + Inulin + FOS provided at a dose of 2.5 serving equivalent

    Other: Acute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator

  • Active comparator
    Test 7

    No-sugar chewable candy containing Maltitol + Polydextrose provided at a dose of 1 serving equivalent

    Other: Acute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator

  • Active comparator
    Test 8

    No-sugar chewable candy containing Maltitol + Polydextrose provided at a dose of 1.75 serving equivalent

    Other: Acute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator

  • Active comparator
    Test 9

    No-sugar chewable candy containing Maltitol + Polydextrose provided at a dose of 2.5 serving equivalent

    Other: Acute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator

  • Placebo comparator
    Test 10

    Control chewable candy made with sugar and provided at a dose of 1 serving equivalent

    Other: Acute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator

Interventions

  • OtherAcute intake of one of the products (active comparator 1 to 9) or Placebo comparator

    One pack of each product (1 to 10) will be consumed on a separate occasion

    Also known as: No sugar chewable candies

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Difference in area under the curve (AUC) of the composite Gastrointestinal symptom score of each test product versus control

    AUC of the composite Gastrointestinal symptoms score based on GITQ (gastro-intestinal tolerance questionnaire)

    Time frame: AUC between 0 to 48 hours after intake of products

Secondary outcomes

  1. Difference in the continuous AUC of the composite GI symptom score between doses within each formulation

    Area under the curve (AUC) of the composite GI symptoms score based on GITQ (gastro-intestinal tolerance questionnaire)

    Time frame: AUC between 0 to 48 hours after intake of products

  2. Difference in the continuous AUC of the composite GI symptom score between formulations within each dose

    AUC of the composite GI symptoms score based on GITQ

    Time frame: AUC between 0 to 48 hours after intake of products

  3. Difference in the continuous AUC for each individual GI symptom score of test products as compared to control, dose within each formulation, and formulation within each dose

    AUC of the composite GI symptoms score based on GITQ (gastro-intestinal tolerance questionnaire)

    Time frame: AUC between 0 to 48 hours after intake of products

  4. Proportion of subjects who have a composite GI symptom score larger than 1 at each measured time point

    AUC of the composite GI symptoms score based on GITQ (gastro-intestinal tolerance questionnaire)

    Time frame: AUC between 0 to 48 hours after intake of products

  5. Proportion of subjects with diarrhea based on BHD-BSS (Bowel Habit Diary - Brictol Stool Scale)

    diarrhea

    Time frame: Evaluation over 24 hours following intake of products

  6. Proportion of subjects that report any (score >0) or moderate-to-severe (score >1) symptom at each measured time point for each individual outcome

    Individual GI symptoms from GITQ (gastro-intestinal tolerance questionnaire)

    Time frame: Evaluation performed at time 0, 120, 240, 360, 600 minutes and 24 and 48 hours

  7. Summary of the maximum detected score for each individual GI symptom

    Individual GI symptoms from GITQ (gastro-intestinal tolerance questionnaire)

    Time frame: Evaluation performed at time 0, 120, 240, 360, 600 minutes and 24 and 48 hours

  8. Summary of the time of the maximum detected score for each individual symptom

    Individual GI symptoms from GITQ (gastro-intestinal tolerance questionnaire)

    Time frame: Evaluation performed at time 0, 120, 240, 360, 600 minutes and 24 and 48 hours

  9. Proportion of subjects that report any (score >0) or moderate-to-severe (score >1) bothersome loose stools on the GITQ at each measured time point

    Loose stools from BHD-BSS (Bowel Habit Diary - Brictol Stool Scale)

    Time frame: Evaluation performed at time 0, 120, 240, 360, 600 minutes and 24 and 48 hours

  10. Difference between test and control products, between dose within each formulation, and between formulation within each dose for all parameters of the BHD-BSS (Bowel Habit Diary - Brictol Stool Scale)

    Bowel movment characteristics from BHD-BSS (Bowel Habit Diary - Brictol Stool Scale)

    Time frame: At each bowel movement over 48 hours

  11. Urinary allulose

    Difference between test and control products, between dose (number of servings) within each formulation, and between formulation within each dose on urinary Allulose

    Time frame: Collect over 24 hours

  12. Gut Microbiota composition

    Microbial composition by sequencing

    Time frame: Baseline

  13. Correlation analyses between microbiota composition and GITQ individual parameters

    Mechanism of action

    Time frame: AUC 0 to 48 hours for composite scores and evaluations performed at time 0, 120, 240, 360, 600 minutes and 24 and 48 hours

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Biofortis Innovation Services
    Addison, Illinois 60101, United States
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reached

Ran from Oct 2021 to primary completion in May 2022, 7 months.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Nov 25, 2021
First posted
Apr 3, 2023
StartActual
Oct 11, 2021
Primary completionActual
May 30, 2022
CompletionActual
Jul 30, 2022
Last update
Apr 3, 2023
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 3, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05794100
Collaborators
BioFortis
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 3, 2023
Start date
Oct 11, 2021
Primary completion
May 30, 2022
Completion
Jul 30, 2022
Last update
Apr 3, 2023

Study contacts

Kathleen M Kelley, MD
principal investigator · BioFortis

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2023. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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