aspartam

Aspartam, known as aspartame in English and aspartam in several languages, is an artificial non-nutritive sweetener used to sweeten foods and beverages with few or no calories. It is about 200 times sweeter than sucrose and is often found in diet sodas, sugar-free gum, yogurts, desserts, and tabletop sweeteners.

Chemistry and metabolism: As a methyl ester of the dipeptide formed from the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine, its common chemical name is N-(L-α-aspartyl)-L-phenylalanine, 1-methyl ester. When ingested, aspartame is rapidly hydrolyzed in the gut to phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol. The methanol yield is small compared with many natural foods, and regulatory bodies consider the overall exposure to be within safe limits. Individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU) must avoid aspartame because it raises phenylalanine levels.

Regulatory status: Aspartame has undergone extensive safety reviews. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it for use in foods in 1981. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) have set an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 40 mg per kilogram of body weight per day, while the FDA recognizes a similar safety margin up to about 50 mg/kg/day. Consequently, aspartame remains permitted in many countries, with labeling requirements including a phenylalanine warning for PKU patients.

Uses and safety: It is widely used as a sugar substitute to provide sweetness with minimal calories. Most health authorities consider it safe for the general population within the ADI, though some individuals report adverse effects such as headaches or digestive symptoms; evidence for such associations is not definitive.