Naringin dihydrochalcone, sometimes abbreviated to naringin DC, is an

artificial sweetener A sugar substitute is a food additive that provides a sweetness like that of sugar while containing significantly less food energy than sugar-based sweeteners, making it a zero-calorie () or low-calorie sweetener. Artificial sweeteners may b ...

derived from

naringin Naringin is a flavanone-7-''O''- glycoside between the flavanone naringenin and the disaccharide neohesperidose. The flavonoid naringin occurs naturally in citrus fruits, especially in grapefruit, where naringin is responsible for the fruit' ...

, a bitter compound found in

citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...

. Naringin

dihydrochalcone Dihydrochalcone (DHC) is the organic compound with the formula C6H5C(O)(CH2)2C6H5. It is the reduced derivative of chalcone (C6H5C(O)(CH)2C6H5). It is white solid that is soluble in many organic solvents. Dihydrochalcone per se is often minor si ...

is a

phloretin Phloretin is a dihydrochalcone, a type of natural phenol. It can be found in apple tree leaves and the Manchurian apricot. Metabolism In rats, ingested phlorizin is converted into phloretin by hydrolytic enzymes in the small intestine. Ph ...

glycoside In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycoside ...

discovered at the same time as neohesperidin dihydrochalcone during the 1960s as part of a

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

research program to find methods for minimizing the taste of bitter flavorants in citrus juices. When naringin is treated with

potassium hydroxide Potassium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula K OH, and is commonly called caustic potash. Along with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), KOH is a prototypical strong base. It has many industrial and niche applications, most of which exp ...

or another strong base, and then catalytically

hydrogenated Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction between molecular hydrogen (H2) and another compound or element, usually in the presence of a catalyst such as nickel, palladium or platinum. The process is commonly employed to reduce or saturate organic ...

, it becomes a

that is roughly 300–1800 times sweeter than sugar at threshold concentrations.

References

External links

* {{Dihydrochalcone Sugar substitutes Dihydrochalcone glycosides