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Objective: Studies have shown that the consumption of added sugars may be associated with harmful health effects. The present study investigated the presence and types of added sugars in packaged foods. Design: Cross-sectional analysis of the presence and types of added sugars in the ingredients lists of packaged foods sold in a major Brazilian supermarket. The nomenclature of ingredients classified as added sugars and their frequency were identified. Data were organised and analysed through descriptive statistics: absolute and relative frequencies of the presence of added sugars categorised by food groups were calculated, and ingredients were analysed by text mining using R statistical environment. Setting: A supermarket in Florianópolis, a metropolis in southern Brazil. Subjects: Packaged food products (n 4539) classified into eight groups. Results: Of the 4539 products, 71 % had some type of added sugar. The group with the highest frequency of added sugars was 'products in which carbohydrates and fats are the main energy source' (93 %). Food groups containing predominantly salty foods had a high frequency of added sugars, such as 'meats and eggs' (61 %). In total, 179 different terms for added sugars were identified, of which sugar, maltodextrin and glucose syrup were the most frequent. Conclusions: Most of the packaged foods sold in Brazil contain added sugars, which may hamper adherence to the recommendation of limiting added sugars intake. The data may be useful for monitoring tendencies in the use of added sugars in packaged foods and as supplementary information to support the improvement of food label regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the use of added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) in 4805 packaged foods (including non-alcoholic beverages) sold in a major supermarket in Brazil. The ingredient lists of all products were searched for the presence of added sugars and NNS. The added sugar content was estimated and compared between products containing added sugar, with and without NNS. Using criteria set by the new Brazilian food label rules, we determined whether foods with added sugars and NNS were classified as "high in added sugar". Most products (66.7%) contained at least one type of sweetener (added sugars or NNS). Of the products containing NNS (n = 597), 81.5% also contained added sugar. Products containing both NNS and added sugar ingredients showed a lower overall added sugar content than products containing added sugars only. However, for a few food categories (chocolates, dairy and non-dairy dessert mixes and candies), the added sugar content did not differ significantly between products with and without NNS. Sixty-three percent of products containing both added sugar and NNS were classified as "high in added sugar". • An 8-steps methodology was used to estimate added sugar content of packaged foods. • Mostly of products containing NNS also had added sugar ingredients. • High-in-sugar products presented both added sugar and NNS ingredients. • The most commonly used NNS overall was acesulfame-k. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]