Monatin structure

The sensory data for the sweet plant-derived compounds in Table I refer to sweetness intensity comparisons with sucrose on a weight basis. However, comparison of these data is most reliable for compounds in the same structural class that have been evaluated for sweetness intensity in the same laboratory. Also, sweetness intensity values tend to vary depending upon concentration of the tastant compound. For example, the sodium salt of the newly discovered amino acid, monatin (69) exhibited relative sweetness intensities to 5% and 10% w/v sucrose of 1,400 and 1,200, respectively (73). Therefore, for this compound, and for several others listed in Table I, sweetness intensity values are expressed as ranges. 

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