Food additives data book - wordpres

Sweeteners 994
Interaction with taste receptors causes it to heighten response to sweeteners and certain flavour
compounds.
Flavour-enhancing properties used in “aggressive” flavours such as peppermint, ginger, cinnamon
and coffee, as well as ability to reduce their fiery, peppery or bitter elements.
In savoury products, enhances flavour and synergises with flavour-enhancers such as MSG and 5¢nucleotides,
creating the “Umami” (delicious) flavour.
Taste increased by trivalent salts.
ANTAGONISTS: Taste reduced by mono- and divalent salts. Denatured by metaphosphoric and phytic acids at pH 2.9.
Loss of sweetness with xanthan, CMC, pectin and alginate. Incompatible with carrageenans;
incompatible with certain beverage ingredients such as synthetic colours. Undergoes denaturation when
exposed to extreme pH and high temperatures, resulting in a loss of sweetness (this denaturation may
be reversible)
FOOD SAFETY ISSUES: Contributes the same number of calories as sucrose (4kcal/g), but use is measured in ppm so it is
essentially non-calorific in food products.
Is digested and metabolised completely by humans and animals.
No adverse effects found during toxicological studies; non-cariogenic.
In 1987, JECFA recorded no mutagenic, teratogenic or allergenic effects; concluded that the only
dietary effect was an insignificant increase in normal protein intake. Generally accepted as a safe,
natural substance.
LEGISLATION:
USA:
US granted GRAS for use in chewing gum in October 1984.
Approved for general use in US.
Has been reviewed and listed as GRAS (Substance No. 3732) by FEMA.
May be used in US in products labelled as “natural”.
UK and EUROPE:
UK permitted use in foods, drinks and dietary products except baby foods by Sweeteners in Food Regulations with Group A status in 1983.
JECFA declared ADI “not specified” in 1985