2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Neotam is an artificial non-food sweetener that is between 7,000 and 13,000 times sweeter than sugar. The neotam is also known as E 961 and N- (N- (3,3-Dimethylbutyl) -L-α-aspartyl) -L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester. It is used to sweeten all kinds of food and beverages, and can be used alone or in combination with other food or non-food sweeteners.
This sugar substitute is well absorbed by the body and does not accumulate in it. In addition, Neotam was approved by the European Union in 2010 and so far no side effects have been found.
The Neotam has been the subject of more than a hundred studies. After reviewing the studies, the US Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the use of neotam as a sweetener and flavoring of food and beverages is completely safe and has no effect on our body and our development. The assessment of the US Federal Food and Drug Administration is based on studies conducted with humans and animals that have taken a quantity of neotam, far exceeding the expected levels of consumption.
The results of research confirm that neotam can be used even by pregnant and lactating women, children and people with diabetes and those suffering from phenylketonuria. It has the same sweet taste as sugar, but due to its strong sweetening properties it should be used in extremely small quantities.
Composition of neotam
The Neotam contains amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine.
History of neotam
Neotam is the work of the company NutraSweet, which is also the creator of aspartame. Neotam was produced by chemists in the late twentieth century. The goal was to make the new artificial sweetener significantly sweeter than aspartame and also to dissolve more easily in water and alcoholic beverages. In addition, the manufacturers wanted the neotam not to leave a bitter aftertaste, like most artificial sweeteners, and worked hard in this direction.
The chemists managed to fulfill their intentions, and neotam turned out to be much better than aspartame and acesulfame K, which after use leave a specific slightly bitter taste in the mouth. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, neotam was approved for general use by the US Federal Food and Drug Administration and the European Union, and to date this sweetener has been approved for use in over fifty countries, including the United States, Canada, Russia and China., Japan, Israel and Iran. Neotam is also present on the Bulgarian market.
Neotam production
This crystalline or granular powder is a derivative of the non-food artificial sweetener aspartame and is thirty to sixty times sweeter than it. Neotam is synthesized from aspartame and 3,3-dimethylbutylaldehyde by specific chemical treatment. The chemical is washed, dried and then packaged.
Daily dose neotam
It is recommended to take 0.1 mg of the substance per kilogram of human weight. Due to its association with aspartame, which is increasingly regarded as a carcinogenic and toxic sweetener, neotam has been studied and tested many times by scientists. Numerous experiments have been performed on animals and humans, proving that the consumption of neotam, even in quantities significantly exceeding the expected daily dose, does not affect the growth and development of the offspring. No toxic effects were observed even with amounts exceeding up to 40,000 times the expected daily dose.
Selection and storage of neotam
This artificial sweetener is available in the form of tablets or powder, packaged in vacuum packs, and these products are distinguished by their lower price. We offer sweetening blends with neotam. When buying neotam or products that contain it, always check the expiration date. If stored in a dry, dark and cool place, a pack of neotam can be used for up to five years.
Benefits of neotam
Although consumers still distrust this product, it has proven to be a harmless sweetener. Neotam completely replaces sugar in many products such as cereals, frozen desserts, ice cream, chewing gum, pastries, purees, juices, shakes, nectars and more. It can be used immediately or used in any culinary recipe that requires heat treatment. In both cases, the taste is still good.
The Neotam is low in calories and suitable for overweight people who are trying to follow special diets, but can not imagine life without something sweet. People with diabetes can also now eat their favorite desserts, replacing the sugar in them with neotam, without having side effects on their health.
At the same time, studies prove that neotam can be used by pregnant and breastfeeding women, as it has no consequences in the development of the fetus. However, expectant mothers should not forget that in this important period for them it is good to take products with high nutritional value, and neotam is not among them. Therefore, pregnant and lactating women should consult a specialist before using the sweetener.
It has also been proven that neotam it can also be used by children because it does not affect development and does not lead to changes in their behavior. However, its consumption is not highly recommended for children under 2 years of age, because they most need natural foods rich in nutrients. According to scientists, neotam can be included in the healthy diet of children suffering from obesity, as long as the parents have previously consulted a pediatrician.
Neotam has been the subject of research for twenty years. It has been proven that it has nothing to do with bacteria in the oral cavity and also does not cause tooth decay. Caries can be obtained from other ingredients contained in food, but not from E 961.
Harm from neotam
Despite the many studies that have been conducted with neotam, some scientists still insist that this sugar substitute is harmful and no less toxic than other artificial sweeteners. Moreover, according to some researchers, it is the intake of sweeteners other than sugar that makes the body "confused" and gain weight. Therefore, with diet drinks and foods containing both neotam and aspartame, saccharin and sucralose and even stevia should be careful and in no case overdo it.
