Neotame: Aspartame on Steroids.

Oh but it gets sweeter.

Neotame was discovered in 1991 while researching structure of high-potency sweeteners, it is brought to you by Monsanto Company, the same company from the origination of NutraSweet, whom also developed aspartame.

 In fact, it contains two key amino acids also used in aspartame, phenylalanine and aspartic acid.  In 1998, Monsanto applied for FDA approval for neotame, "based on the aspartame formula" with one critical addition: 3-dimethylbutyl, which just happens to be listed on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) most hazardous chemical list. 3,3-Dimethylbutyraldehyde is categorized as both highly flammable and an irritant, and carries risk statements for handling including irritation to skin, eyes and respiratory system. In other words, the NutraSweet company assures you that neotame is perfectly safe, while at the same time they manufacture neotame through a chemical reaction between aspartame and a substance that is highly flammable and a skin, eye and respiratory irritant (that must be handled with extreme caution by anyone involved in the manufacturing process).

So just how sweet is it?

7,000 – 13,000 times sweeter than table sugar!! It is the sweetest of all artificial sweeteners. And since its partner in crime is Aspartame, lets look at how much sweeter it is.

Drum roll.....

 30 – 60 times sweeter than Aspartame!! 

Since neotame is still not widely spread across the world, there are unsure facts of what its side effects can be. However, since it is derived from aspartame, most health forums suggest that consuming food and beverages with neotame in them, may come with the same side effects we see in Aspartame. 

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Sources 

http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/side-effects-of-artificial-sweeteners-6690.html

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/08/neotame-receives-fda-approval-but-is-not-widely-used-yet.aspx