Neotame

Neotame is a high-intensity artificial sweetener structurally derived from aspartame but approximately 7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sucrose. Unlike aspartame, neotame does not metabolise to phenylalanine, making it safe for individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU). It is used in beverages, dairy products, frozen desserts, tabletop sweeteners, and chewing gum at extremely small concentrations that contribute negligible calories.

JECFA evaluated neotame in 2003 and established an ADI of 2 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 70 kg adult this equates to 140 mg per day — an amount virtually impossible to approach through normal food consumption given the minute quantities used to achieve sweetness. Comprehensive toxicological and carcinogenicity studies conducted prior to regulatory approval showed no adverse effects at relevant doses.

Neotame is approved in the EU (E961), the United States (since 2002), Australia, and several other markets. It is considerably less common than aspartame or sucralose, appearing in a narrower range of products. Unlike aspartame, it does not require a PKU warning on labelling. For consumers seeking a well-studied artificial sweetener with no phenylalanine concerns, neotame represents a favourable safety profile among its class.