Thaumatin – Plant Protein Sweetener: Chemical Constituents and Uses
Thaumatin crystals (Photo credit: Canadian Light Source synchrotron)
Plant Protein Sweeteners
The source of sweetening agents or sweeteners are generally carbohydrates like glucose, sucrose, honey etc and glycosides like glycyrrhizine, sterioside or even from synthetic source like saccharine. The sweeteners other than the above chemical nature and form the natural source are very rare. From the past two three decades, plants containing potent protein sweeteners are identified. The plant protein sweeteners include thaumatin, menelline and miraculin.
Thaumatin : Morphology and Distribution
Thaumatin is a highly potent sweetener obtained from the fruits of the plant Thaumatococcus danielli belonging to the family Marantaceae. The plant is distributed in Africa in Ghana, Ivory coast, Siera Leone and Togo. The fruits are reddish in colour and are trigonal in shape and covered with fleshy aril. The aril is sweet in taste and consists of active constituents.
Chemical constituents of Thaumatin:
The aqueous extract of the aril contains two water soluble proteins namely thaumatin I and thaumatin II. These proteins are stable and the sweet taste is not lost by heating. It is stable at pH 2.7 to 3.0 Sweet taste can be detected even in very low concentration. It is non-toxic and non-carcinogenic. It promotes the flavour even in very minute concentration.
Uses of Thaumatin:
Thaumatin is used as a sweetening agent for market products such as chewing gums and branch freshners.
Market products of Thaumatin:
Thaumatin is under patented name TALIN and is available commercially in Japan and USA.
Important Neutraceuticals:
Preparations like Rejoov capsules – Rhone – Poulnec. Mumbai.
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