Aspartamo

Aspartamo, also known as aspartame in many languages, is an artificial sweetener used in a wide range of foods and beverages to provide sweetness with few or no calories. Chemically, it is the methyl ester of the dipeptide L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine, making it a peptide-based compound that is much sweeter than sugar.

The sweetness of aspartame is about 200 times that of sucrose, so small amounts can achieve the desired sweetness. It is not heat-stable under prolonged high temperatures, so it is primarily used in cold or processed products such as soft drinks, yogurts, gum, and tabletop sweeteners. When consumed, aspartame is broken down in the body into phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol.

Because it contains phenylalanine, products containing aspartame typically carry warnings for individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU), a metabolic disorder. Regulatory agencies require such labeling in many jurisdictions. Aspartame has been approved for use in foods and beverages by numerous authorities since the 1980s, including the U.S. FDA, EFSA, and JECFA. They establish an acceptable daily intake (ADI); commonly cited values are about 40 mg/kg body weight per day (EFSA/JECFA) and a higher value such as 50 mg/kg/day is cited by some agencies.

Safety reviews generally conclude that aspartame is safe for the general population at typical consumption levels, with no consistent evidence of carcinogenicity or other major health risks. As with all additives, monitoring continues, and individuals with PKU must avoid or limit intake.