Alitame is a high-intensity, non-caloric dipeptide sweetener. It is derived from L-aspartic acid and D-alanine, with a novel amide moiety (N-(2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-3-thietanyl)-D-alaninamide) contributing to its stability. It is approximately 2000 times sweeter than sucrose and exhibits a clean, sugar-like taste profile with minimal aftertaste. Its primary application is as a food additive (E number E956 in some regions) in a wide range of products, including beverages, dairy, desserts, and tabletop sweeteners. It is heat-stable, making it suitable for baked goods and processed foods. Due to its intense sweetness and synergistic effects with other sweeteners like acesulfame-K, it is used to reduce caloric content and sugar levels. It is also explored as a sweetening agent in oral pharmaceutical formulations and some cosmetic products like toothpaste. Alitame is not metabolized for energy in the human body and is excreted unchanged. Regulatory approval status varies globally; it is approved in several countries including Australia, China, and Mexico, but not in the United States or the European Union.