Neotame, also known by the brand name Newtame,[3] is a non-caloric artificial sweetener and aspartame analog by NutraSweet.

It can be used alone, but is often mixed with other sweeteners to increase their individual sweetness (i.e. synergistic effect) and decrease their off-flavors (e.g. saccharin).

Its use can be cost effective in comparison to other sweeteners as smaller amounts of neotame are needed.

[2] In 2002, FDA approved it as a non-nutritive sweetener and flavor enhancer within the United States in foods generally, except meat and poultry.

[6] In US and EU, the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of neotame for humans is 0.3 and 2 mg per kg of bodyweight (mg/kg bw), respectively.

[3] Neotame contains flavor-enhancing properties, and compared to sucrose or aspartame, it has a relatively lower cost per sweetness factor.

[9] Neotame NMR spectroscopy identifies its structure with a peak at 0.84 ppm indicating the three methyl groups on the carbon chain bonded to the nitrogen.

[10] Neotame is synthesized from aspartame through a reductive alkylation with 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde in a palladium catalyst with methanol.

Neotame is especially stable as a dry powder at room temperature and humidity even if mixed with glucose or maltodextrin, and is relatively inert in foods with reducing sugars like fructose.

[2] Unlike aspartame, neotame doesn't form diketopiperazines via intra-molecular cyclization due to its N-alkyl substitution with 3,3-dimethylbutyl.

[2] They are dissolved in methanol, palladium on carbon catalyst is added, air is replaced with hydrogen and the reaction is carried out in room temperature under pressure for a few hours.

The mixture is cooled for a few hours, neotame is isolated via centrifugation, washed with water and vacuum dried.

[1] In humans and many other animals like dogs, rats and rabbits, neotame is rapidly but incompletely absorbed.

[1] In humans at oral doses of about 0.25 mg per kg of bodyweight (mg/kg bw), about 34% is absorbed into blood.

[1] In humans, over 80% of the original oral dose is excreted in feces and urine within 48 hours and the rest later.