Thaumatin
E957
E957, INS 957, thaumatin, thaumatin I, thaumatin II
What it is
A mixture of intensely sweet proteins obtained from the arils of Thaumatococcus daniellii and used in food for sweetening and flavour-related technological purposes.
Why BOTIA flags it
Thaumatin is a sweet protein, and the body digests it like any other protein: it breaks it down into amino acids and that is where it ends. It is much sweeter than sugar, so it is used in very small amounts — the label does not say how much. It is also used as a flavour enhancer, not only to sweeten. JECFA did not consider it necessary to establish a numerical ADI.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect E957, INS 957 and thaumatin when explicitly declared.
- Show the sweetener, flavour and E-number layers for the declared additive.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Determine the amount used or sweetness contribution from the ingredient list.
- Infer a health effect from the presence of thaumatin alone.