FDA Approves New Sweetener 13,000 Times Sweeter Than Sugar

Neotame is made by Monsanto, which also makes NutraSweet's sweetener Equal.

A non-nutritive sweetener said to be 7,000-to-13,000 times sweeter than sugar received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today to be marketed as an additive in candies, soft drinks and various other products.

Like other familiar sweeteners, Neotame is a white crystalline powder that dissolves in water. It is made by Monsanto, which also makes NutraSweet's sweetener Equal. Neotame is approved for use in baked goods, nonalcoholic beverages, chewing gum, confections, frozen desserts, gelatins and puddings, jams, jellies, fruit, juices, toppings and syrups, reports the Associated Press.

The FDA declared the product to be safe for consumption after reviewing more than 113 animal and human studies, some of which looked at any possible links with cancer-causing or neurological side effects.

Description: Neotame is a no-calorie sweetener, composed of two elements of protein: the amino acids L-aspartic acid and L-phenylalanine combined with two organic functional groups: one known as a methyl ester group and the other as a neohexyl group. These components are joined together to form a uniquely sweet ingredient.

Relative Sweetness: Neotame is sweeter than other no-calorie sweeteners and is approximately 30 times sweeter than aspartame. Neotame will deliver comparable sweetness to sucrose in various applications.

Metabolism: Quickly metabolized and fully eliminated by the body via normal biological processes.

Assets: Neotame has a clean, sweet taste like sucrose and unique flavor enhancement properties compared to other sweeteners. At projected trace levels of use, neotame will provide a full, sweet taste in foods and beverages. It can be used in both cooking and baking applications and will offer comparable, and potentially improved, stability over aspartame in beverages

Applications: Has applicability in any category of food and beverage, including but not limited to, tabletop sweeteners, chewing gum, carbonated soft drinks, refrigerated and non-refrigerated ready-to-drink beverages, frozen desserts and novelties, puddings and fillings, yogurt-type products, baked goods and candies.

Neotame has no effect on plasma glucose and insulin concentrations or on glycemic control in diabetic individuals. Thus, foods sweetened with neotame can be safely incorporated into their meal plans to help them achieve their dietary goals.  Products made with neotame require no special labeling for phenylketonuria.