Title: Alternative Sweeteners

96 Borrego and Montijano
effect level. On the basis of these and the earlier results, the Scientific Committee
for Food of the European Community recognized neohesperidine DC as ‘‘toxicologically
acceptable’’ in 1987 and assigned it an ADI of 0–5 mg/kg body weight
(76). This ADI is adequate for a wide range of uses.
The metabolism of neohesperidine DC and that of flavonoid glycosides
ingested in substantial amounts with ordinary foods (77) share many features and
result partly in the formation of the same end-products (11). As with other flavonoid
glycosides, it appears that metabolism is carried out largely by the action
of intestinal microflora. After formation of the aglycone, hesperetin dihydrochalcone
is split by bacterial glycosidases into phloroglucinol and dihydroisoferulic
acid (representing ring A and B of the parent molecule). The latter compound is
subsequently converted to a spectrum of metabolites that, like phloroglucinol,
also result from the metabolism of certain naturally occurring flavonoids (78).
Excretion studies using [ 14 C] neohesperidine DC showed that, when oral
doses of up to 100 mg/kg body weight were administered to rats, more than 90%
of the radioactivity was excreted in the first 24 hr, primarily in the urine. After
24 hr, only traces of radioactivity could be detected in various tissues.
The caloric value of neohesperidine DC has been estimated to be not more
than 2 cal/g, based on the assumption that the sugar residues are hydrolytically
split and metabolized and that the aglycone is not extensively metabolized. Because
of its high potency, neohesperidine DC would probably afford not more
than 1/1000 as many calories as an equivalent amount of sucrose.
Neohesperidine DC has been proposed as a noncariogenic, nonfermentable
sweetening agent, based on the finding that it is relatively inert to the action of
cariogenic bacteria (79).
VI. REGULATORY STATUS
With the adoption and publication of the EU Sweeteners Directives (Directives
94/35/EC and 96/83/EC) (80, 81) and after their implementation in national food
regulations, the use of neohesperidine DC as a sweetener is authorized in a wide
range of foodstuffs (Table 2). Other countries such as Switzerland, the Czech
Republic, and Turkey have adopted EU legislation.
As a flavor-modifying substance neohesperidine DC has also been included
in the Directive 95/2/EC on Food Additives other than Colours and Sweeteners
(82) for use in an additional number of foodstuffs, most of which, such as margarine,
meat products, and vegetable protein products, are clearly not sweet.
During recent years the functionality of neohesperidine DC as a flavor and
flavor modifier has steadily gained recognition in regulatory circles. Thus, neohesperidine
DC has been recognized as GRAS by the Expert Panel of FEMA for
use as a flavor ingredient in 16 food categories in 1993 (83) at levels of use