monellin , an intensely sweet polypeptide , substantially free from carbohydrate , is described . monellin is the pure proteinaceous principle of the fruit dioscoreophyllum cumminsii , having a molecular weight of approximately 11 , 000 , an isoelectric point of 9 . 3 , and an ultraviolet absorption maximum of 277 nm . a process for the production of monellin is described which includes the steps of extracting the fruit with an aqueous medium , separating the extract into a carbohydrate containing fraction and a proteinaceous fraction substantially free from carbohydrate , and recovering the proteinaceous fraction substantially free from carbohydrate .