Neotame
E961
E961, INS 961, neotame, Newtame, high-intensity sweetener neotame, flavour enhancer neotame
What it is
Neotame (INS 961 / E961) is a high-intensity sweetener chemically related to aspartame. JECFA reports a sweetness potency of about 7,000–13,000 times that of sucrose depending on the food matrix, and Codex lists it as both a sweetener and a flavour enhancer.
Why BOTIA flags it
Neotame is around 8,000 times sweeter than sugar, so only milligrams are needed — and the ingredient list cannot show how much was used. It derives from aspartame, but normal use produces so little phenylalanine that JECFA considered the amount insignificant even for people with phenylketonuria; unlike aspartame, EU rules do not require a phenylalanine warning for neotame. JECFA set an ADI of 0–2 mg/kg body weight.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect E961, INS 961, neotame and Newtame when explicitly declared.
- Explain its extreme sweetness, its relationship to aspartame, the JECFA phenylalanine assessment and the JECFA acceptable daily intake.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Determine how many milligrams of neotame are present from the ingredient declaration alone.
- Calculate a person's total daily exposure or determine compliance with a market-specific maximum level without knowing the amount and jurisdiction.