Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone

Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC) is a semi-synthetic sweetener produced from neohesperidin, a bitter flavonoid found in Seville (bitter) orange peel. Chemical hydrogenation converts the bitter parent compound into a sweet-tasting chalcone that is approximately 1,000 to 1,500 times sweeter than sucrose. It has a distinctively long-lasting, liquorice-like sweet aftertaste and is used at very low concentrations as a sweetener, flavour modifier, and bitterness masker in beverages, dairy products, and confectionery.

JECFA established an ADI of 5 mg/kg body weight per day for NHDC in 1994, based on animal safety studies and a substantial safety margin from the observed no-effect levels. Typical dietary exposure from permitted food applications is well below this threshold. Metabolic studies confirm that NHDC is extensively metabolised in the colon by gut microflora, with absorption of breakdown products followed by conjugation and urinary excretion.

Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone is approved in the EU and in selected other markets as a sweetener and flavour modifier. Its most distinctive practical attribute is its flavour-modifying effect at sub-threshold sweetening concentrations: at levels that do not perceptibly sweeten a product, it can mask bitterness from other ingredients and alter flavour balance, making it valuable in reformulations where bitter off-notes from reduced sugar or added functional ingredients need to be suppressed. The long-lasting sweet aftertaste at higher concentrations can limit consumer acceptance in some applications, which is why it is often used at low levels as part of a sweetener blend rather than as the sole sweetening agent.