Sweetener, Nonnutritive

Name:
Sweetener, Nonnutritive
Detailed information:
A food additive, either natural or synthetic, usually having much greater sweetness intensity than sugar (sucrose), but without its caloric value. In some cases it acts as an enhancer or potentiator of sweetness. Chief among them is saccharin, a benzoic acid derivative. The cyclamate group was removed from the market by FDA in 1970 because of animal carcinogenicity, though the evidence in respect to human toxicity is controversial.Increasing research has developed several new noncaloric sweeteners: the dihydrochalcone group of disaccharide, glycyrrhizin (licorice extract), especially its ammoniated derivative; dulcin(4-ethoxyphenylurea), the glycoprotein of “miracle fruit;” and a polypeptide from a tropical fruit called the “serendipity berry,” said to be 3000 times sweeter than sucrose. “Aspartame”(C₁₄H₁₈N₂O₅) has been approved by FDA.