Artificial Sweetener Neotame Found in Most E-Cigarettes

MONDAY, June 9, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The artificial sweetener neotame is ubiquitous in popular disposable e-cigarettes, according to a research letter published online June 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Hanno C. Erythropel, Ph.D., from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, and colleagues analyzed current popular U.S.-marketed disposable e-cigarettes, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved products, and nicotine-free products to assess the prevalence of neotame. Analysis included 73 devices and one reference mint candy product.

The researchers found that neotame was detected in 57 of 73 tested e-cigarettes, with a mean neotame content approximately 4.6 times higher than in a mint candy (1.75 versus 0.38 μg/mg). No FDA-approved cartridge nor JUUL contained neotame, but it was present in all products categorized as popular disposable, zero-nicotine, or nicotine analogues. The highest mean neotame content was seen in devices containing 6-methylnicotine. WS-23, a synthetic cooling agent, was highly prevalent (50 of 63), while menthol (28 of 63) and the synthetic coolant WS-3 (eight of 63) were less common. In zero-nicotine or 6-methylnicotine analogue products, no nicotine was detected.

“More information on neotame’s contribution to disposable cigarette appeal, abuse liability, and toxicity is needed to determine whether regulatory intervention is necessary,” the authors write. “While neotame is approved by the FDA for use in food, the respiratory and systemic health effects of neotame and its potential decomposition products during heating in an e-cigarette are unknown.”

Several authors disclosed ties to relevant organizations.

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