[Organoleptic study of a new dihydrochalcone artificial sweetener]

The compound CH-401-Na (1-[2-hydroxy-4-(3-sulphopropyloxy)phenyl]-3-[3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl]-propanone-1-Na) was studied. Its sweeting power in aqueous solution is 1000 (as compared to that of a 1% sucrose solution); the values for salts formed with 10 other cations range from 750 to 1150. In contrast to the sweet taste of sucrose, that of CH-401-Na is perceived not at the tip of the tongue but at the root of the tongue and at both sides of the oral cavity. It persists for a longer period than that of sucrose. This effect depends to some extent on the cation. The addition of inorganic salts accelerates the extinction of sweet taste. In lemonades, almost 90% of sucrose may be replaced by CH-401-salts. The taste of CH-401-Na is unpleasant in foods having a bitter taste (coffee, cola) and in low-moisture products.