Mogroside Explained

A mogroside is a glycoside of cucurbitane derivatives found in certain plants, such as the fruit of the gourd vine Siraitia grosvenorii (known as monkfruit or luohan guo).^{[1] [2]} Mogrosides are extracted from S. grosvenorii and used in the manufacture of sugar substitutes.^{[1] [2]}

Mogrosides

Mogrosides include:^{[1] [2]}

• Mogrol
• Mogroside II A₁
• Mogroside II B
• 7-Oxomogroside II E
• 11-Oxomogroside A₁
• Mogroside III A₂
• 11-Deoxymogroside III
• 11-Oxomogroside IV A
• Mogroside V
• 7-Oxomogroside V
• 11-Oxo-mogroside V
• Mogroside VI
• Siamenoside I

Mogroside V is the main component of Siraitia grosvenorii fruit, constituting 0.5% to 1.4% of the dried fruit.^[3]

Biosynthesis

One analysis of 200 candidate genes of Siraitia grosvenorii revealed five enzyme families involved in the synthesis of mogroside V: squalene epoxidases, triterpenoid synthases, epoxide hydrolases, cytochrome P450s, and UDP-glucosyltransferases.^[1] The metabolic pathway for mogroside biosynthesis involves an initial stage of fruit development when squalene is metabolized to di-glucosylated, tetra-hydroxycucurbitadienols, then during fruit maturation, branched glucosyl groups are added and catalyzed, leading to the sweet M4, M5, and M6 mogrosides.^[1]

Stability

Mogroside V appears to be heat stable in the range of 100 to 150 degrees Celsius for 4 hours and up to 8 hours in boiling water. It is stable at a pH of between 3 and 12 when stored from 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.^[4]

Uses

Some mogrosides are used in traditional Chinese medicine^[2] and some are extracted for manufacturing as sweeteners.^[1] Mogroside V extract from S. grosvenorii fruit is 250 times sweeter than sucrose,^[1] sold commercially in Norbu (sweetener).

Notes and References

1. 5127336. 2016. Itkin. M.. The biosynthetic pathway of the nonsugar, high-intensity sweetener mogroside V from Siraitia grosvenorii. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 113. 47. E7619–E7628. Davidovich-Rikanati. R.. Cohen. S.. Portnoy. V.. Doron-Faigenboim. A.. Oren. E.. Freilich. S.. Tzuri. G.. Baranes. N.. Shen. S.. Petreikov. M.. Sertchook. R.. Ben-Dor. S.. Gottlieb. H.. Hernandez. A.. Nelson. D. R.. Paris. H. S.. Tadmor. Y.. Burger. Y.. Lewinsohn. E.. Katzir. N.. Schaffer. A.. 27821754. 10.1073/pnas.1604828113. free.
2. Subhuti Dharmananda (January 2004), "Luo han guo - Sweet fruit used as sugar substitute and medicinal herb". Institute for Traditional Medicine, Portland, Oregon.
3. Li C, Lin L, Sui F, Jiang T . Chemistry and pharmacology of Siraitia grosvenorii: a review . . 12 . 2 . 89–102 . 2014 . 10.1016/S1875-5364(14)60015-7 . 24636058.
4. Younes . Maged . Aquilina . Gabriele . Engel . Karl‐Heinz . Fowler . Paul . Frutos Fernandez . Maria Jose . Fürst . Peter . Gürtler . Rainer . Gundert‐Remy . Ursula . Husøy . Trine . Mennes . Wim . Moldeus . Peter . Oskarsson . Agneta . Shah . Romina . Waalkens‐Berendsen . Ine . Wölfle . Detlef . Degen . Gisela . Herman . Lieve . Gott . David . Leblanc . Jean-Charles . Giarola . Alessandra . Rincon . Ana Maria . Tard . Alexandra . Castle . Laurence . 11 December 2019 . Safety of use of Monk fruit extract as a food additive in different food categories . EFSA Journal . 17 . 12 . 10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5921 . free . 7008860 . 32626208.