Aspartame-acesulfame salt
Score impact
-0.50
points/product
Description
The food additive E962, known as aspartame-acesulfame salt, is an intense sweetener that combines two approved sweeteners: aspartame (E951) and acesulfame K (E950). It appears as a white, odorless crystalline salt that is highly soluble in water. Industrially, it is obtained by reacting the two components under controlled conditions, forming a stable compound that synergistically enhances sweetness. Its sweetening power is approximately 350 times that of sugar (sucrose), with a taste profile closer to sugar than each component alone, reducing the typical bitter aftertaste of acesulfame.
It was approved in the European Union in 2003 and is authorized in many countries. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have evaluated its safety, establishing an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 40 mg/kg body weight (expressed as aspartame equivalent). This ADI is considered safe for the general population, including children and pregnant women.
Labeling must include the name or E number, and products containing aspartame must warn that it contains a source of phenylalanine, making it unsuitable for phenylketonurics. The overall safety assessment is favorable, considering it a safe sweetener within authorized amounts.
E962 is mainly used in reduced-calorie or no-added-sugar foods and beverages.
In the Spanish market, it is found in light or zero soft drinks, juices, nectars, dairy products such as yogurts and desserts, ice cream, confectionery, sugar-free gum and candies, jams, compotes, breakfast cereals, and tabletop sweeteners. Regulation EC 1333/2008 sets maximum limits per category: for example, in flavored non-alcoholic beverages up to 600 mg/l, in dairy desserts up to 350 mg/kg, in sugar-free confectionery up to 2500 mg/kg.
In the United States, the FDA approved it as a general-purpose sweetener (GRAS) in 2003, with similar uses. In Japan, its use is permitted but with additional restrictions in certain foods. Comparatively, European regulations are more detailed in categories and specific limits.
Documented adverse effects of E962 are similar to those of aspartame and acesulfame separately. In people with phenylketonuria (PKU), it should be avoided because it contains phenylalanine (derived from aspartame). Studies in animals and humans have not shown carcinogenic, teratogenic, or neurotoxic effects at normal doses. Some individuals may experience headaches or mild allergic reactions, but there is no conclusive evidence of a causal relationship. EFSA and WHO conclude that E962 is safe at the established ADI.
No significant interactions with medications have been documented. The general population can consume it without risk, as long as the ADI is not exceeded. In cases of excessive consumption (well above the ADI), laxative effects from acesulfame could occur, but this is unlikely in normal diets.
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