Lactisole

Lactisole is a carboxylic acid salt. Like gymnemic acid, it is a sweet inhibitor or taste modifier. Lactisole is a carboxylic acid salt. Like gymnemic acid, it is a sweet inhibitor or taste modifier. Chemically, lactisole is the sodium salt of 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propionic acid. This acid has been isolated from roasted Colombian arabica coffee beans. At concentrations of 100–150 parts per million in food, lactisole largely suppresses the ability to perceive sweet tastes, both from sugar and from artificial sweeteners such as aspartame. A 12% sucrose solution was perceived like a 4% sucrose solution when lactisole was added. However, it is significantly less efficient than gymnemic acid with acesulfame potassium, sucrose, glucose and sodium saccharin. Research found also that it has no effect on the perception of bitterness, sourness and saltiness. According to a recent study, lactisole acts on a sweet taste receptor heteromer of the TAS1R3 sweet protein receptor in humans, but not on its rodent counterpart. The principal use of lactisole is in jellies, jams, and similar preserved fruit products containing large amounts of sugar. In these products, by suppressing sugar's sweetness, it allows fruit flavors to come through. In the United States, lactisole is designated as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (Fema number: 3773) and approved for use in food as flavoring agent up to 150 ppm. Currently, lactisole is manufactured and sold by Domino Sugar and its usage levels are between 50 and 150 ppm.