Aspartame

Description

Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener. It is composed of the two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine, that are chemically linked in a special manner. Thereby, a compound is produced with 200 times the sweetening power of sugar.

Application

Aspartame, known under the market names of Nutrasweet, Assugrin and Canderel, is the most commonly used artificial sweetener.

• As a low-calorie sugar substitute in many products, particularly in lemonade and refreshment beverages, in sugar-free sweets, fruit yoghurt, chewing gum, pudding and mayonnaise, as well in diet products.
• Also: powdered sweetener or in tablet form for use as a sugar substitute.

All products that are sweetened with aspartame must be labeled with the information, "contains phenylalanine". This serves as a warning for persons who suffer from the metabolical illness phenylketonuria.

Gene technology

A building block of aspartame, the amino acid phenylalanine, may be manufactured with the aid of genetically modified micro-organisms (escherichia coli). This process has been used industrially in the USA for many years.

Labelling: additives that are manufactured in closed systems with the aid of genetically modified micro-organisms do not require labelling as such, provided that the additive in question has been purified and contains no micro-organisms.

In the case that the applied micro-organisms have received nutrients (substrate) derived from genetically modified organisms, the additive remains without labelling.