Alitame is a novel dipeptide sweetener with a sweetness approximately 2000 times that of sucrose. Alitame is partially absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and hydrolyzed into aspartic acid and alanine amide metabolites. Alitame is excreted as glucuronide conjugates and other forms. Alitame exhibits better thermal stability and pH stability than various dipeptide sweeteners. Alitame can be used in studies on low-calorie foods, sugar-free beverages, and sweetening alternatives for diabetic diets[1-4].
In vitro, R2/R3 U2OS cells expressing human sweet taste receptors T1R2/T1R3 were treated with 0-1mM Alitame for 30 minutes. Alitame produced dose-dependent responses with the T1R2/T1R3 receptors[5].
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[2] Kim C, Shin CS. Solvent-free enzymatic synthesis of alitame precursor using eutectic substrate mixtures. Enzyme Microb Technol. 2001 May 7;28(7-8):611-616.
[3] Chattopadhyay S, Raychaudhuri U, Chakraborty R. Artificial sweeteners - a review. J Food Sci Technol. 2014 Apr;51(4):611-21.
[4] Weihrauch MR, Diehl V. Artificial sweeteners--do they bear a carcinogenic risk? Ann Oncol. 2004 Oct;15(10):1460-5.
[5] Servant NB, Williams ME, Brust PF, et al. A Dynamic Mass Redistribution Assay for the Human Sweet Taste Receptor Uncovers G-Protein Dependent Biased Ligands. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Feb 17;13:832529.