Alitame

Alitame is a low-calorie sweetener and sugar substitute developed by the Pfizer company in the 1980s. It is approximately 2000 times sweeter than sucrose, or table sugar. Alitame is used in a variety of food products and beverages as a means of providing sweetness without the calories of sugar.

Chemical Structure and Properties

Alitame is a dipeptide which is made up of two amino acids, L-alpha-aspartyl-L-alanine methyl ester and amino-sweet. The combination of these two amino acids gives alitame its intense sweetness. Unlike other artificial sweeteners, alitame does not leave a bitter aftertaste.

Uses

Alitame is used in a variety of food products and beverages as a sugar substitute. It is particularly popular in diet foods and sugar-free products, where it provides sweetness without adding calories. Alitame is also used in pharmaceutical products where a sweet taste is desirable, such as in chewable tablets and syrups.

Safety and Regulation

Alitame has been approved for use in many countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, China, and several countries in South America. However, as of 2021, it has not been approved for use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or in the European Union.

See Also

• Aspartame
• Sucralose
• Saccharin
• Acesulfame potassium