Michael G. Lindley

The Sweetness Concentration-Response of R,R-Monatin, a Naturally Occurring High-Potency Sweetener

UNLABELLED Monatin, known by the common and usual name arruva, is a zero-calorie, high-potency sweetener naturally occurring in the plant Sclerochiton ilicifolius A.Meeuse. The sweetness concentration-response (C-R) behavior of the most potent isomer (R,R-) in room-temperature (21 °C) water was determined using two-alternative forced choice discrimination tests with a minimum of 69 tasters. Results were processed by a method previously published to obtain isosweet concentrations of sucrose for 8 monatin concentrations up to 240 mg/L. These were used to construct a C-R plot. The equation for the resultant hyperbolic curve relating sucrose equivalent (SE,%) to monatin concentration ([monatin], mg/L) was SE = 26.7 ×[monatin]/(69.6 +[monatin]). R,R-monatin has a potency above 3000 at 5% sucrose equivalent, making it one of the most potently sweet naturally occurring substances known. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Monatin is a naturally occurring, zero-calorie, high-potency sweetener. We have measured the sweetness of monatin over a range of concentrations. This information will help developers of zero-, low- and reduced-calorie products formulate with monatin.