Additives
Neotame (E961): What It Is and Is It Safe?
Moderate
Sweetener · Sweetener
Similar in structure to aspartame but far sweeter. A 2023 study found it may damage gut cells and promote harmful bacterial adhesion to the gut wall. Regulators consider it safe but it is relatively new and under-studied.
- Category
- Sweetener — Sweetener
- Typically used in
- Diet products, sugar-free foods
- Regulatory status
- Approved EU/USA/UK. Gut health research emerging.
- Concerns flagged
-
Gut-microbiome effectsInflammation link
Scrannr flags Neotame automatically when you scan a barcode.
Sources
Where this comes from
- EFSA (2007) — Opinion on neotame as a sweetener and flavour enhancer https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/581
- Aldhuwayhi et al. (2024) — The artificial sweetener neotame negatively regulates the intestinal epithelium directly through T1R3-signaling and indirectly through pathogenic changes to model gut bacteria https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11078302/
Products
Products containing Neotame
We're building product pages that show real UK products containing Neotame, using Open Food Facts data. They'll appear here soon — in the meantime, scan any barcode with the Scrannr app to check for it instantly.
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