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I. BISHAY, Research & Development, The NutraSweet Company, The Merchandise Mart, Suite 936, Chicago, IL 60654 Ihab E. Bishay, The NutraSweet Company, The Merchandise Mart, Suite 936, Chicago, IL 60654, phone: 312-873-5010, fax 312-873-5053, ihab.e.bishay@nutrasweet.com With the increased attention to the obesity epidemic in the US and worldwide, as well as the trend towards reduced carbohydrate diets, there is an increased demand for high intensity sweeteners that have unique properties. Neotame represents the culmination of more than 20 years of research and development by The NutraSweet Company to identify the next generation of sweeteners. Neotame is currently approved in a number of countries including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and China. In June 2003, FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) reviewed neotame and assigned an ADI of 0-2 mg/kg. Neotame will provide options for product developers and manufacturers, not only as a sweetener but also as a flavor enhancer. Neotame is 7,000 to 13,000 times sweeter than sucrose. This unique high potency allows for significantly less total sweetener to be used. Neotame can be blended with caloric sweeteners, including sucrose and high fructose corn syrup, as well as with other high-intensity sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, cyclamate and saccharin to match the taste of existing regular and diet products. It can also be used to create desirable new tastes and flavors in a variety of food and beverage products. Neotame safety and suitability for use by all segments of the population has been demonstrated through extensive pre-clinical and clinical safety testing. The results of this extensive research confirm that neotame is safe for use by the general population, including children, pregnant and lactating women, and people with diabetes. Further, due to the presence of the 3,3-dimethylbutyl group, peptidases, which would typically break the peptide bond between the aspartic acid and phenylalanine moieties, are essentially blocked, thus, reducing availability of phenylalanine. In addition, many regulatory authorities have determined that no special labeling for phenylketonuric individuals is needed.
Session 1, NEW PRODUCTS & TECHNOLOGIES: Innovations in healthy ingredients
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