As a frequent chewer of sugar-free gum, I know that the source of sweetness I taste is from aspartame. But what is aspartame?
Aspartame is a white, powdery non-carbohydrate based sweetener that is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar [1]. It can be found in food products such as sugar-free gum and diet-based sodas. It was first synthesized in 1965, and then approved for food use by the Food & Drug Administration in 1987 [2].
Commercially, aspartame is also known as Canderel, NutraSweet, and Tri-Sweet [1]. Other artificial sweeteners, such as Splenda, Stevia, and Sweet n’ Low, are generally believed to be aspartame-based however they are made up of different compounds [3].
Chemically, aspartame is made up of two amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine [1]. Combining these two amino acids to make aspartame can be done chemically [4], or with using an enzyme [5]. The chemical production of aspartame makes two forms of it, called alpha-aspartame and beta-aspartame. The alpha form is the sweet one, whereas the beta one is quite bitter. Using an enzyme only makes the alpha form, but it cannot produce aspartame at the level required for production.
There has been lots of speculation in the media as to whether aspartame is harmful. In 1996, the CBS program 60 Minutes put out a report criticizing aspartame, and claiming it caused cancer in the brain [6]. Other media suggested it caused multiple sclerosis, seizures, and even death [7]. It is non-toxic (LD50 via the mouth is 10,000 mg/kg [8]), and the scientific evidence suggesting its potentially harmful effects or cancer-causing properties have major flaws [9,10]. The FDA also claims it is the one of their most extensively tested compounds [2], and its safety is supported by over 100 regulatory bodies [11].
So keep on chewing that sugar-free gum everyone! I know I will, and your dentist will thank you!
Donald, J.R. (Photographer). (2020). Coke Zero Sugar
with 5 Spearmint Gum [photograph]. Calgary, Canada
References
2. Office, U. S. Government Accountability (17 July 1987). "U.S. GAO – HRD-87-46 Food and Drug Administration: Food Additive Approval Process Followed for Aspartame, 18 June 1987" (HRD-87-46). Retrieved 9 February 2020.
3. WebMD. (2020) Stevia and Sugar Substitutes. Retrieved February 10, 2020, from https://www.webmd.com/diet/stevia-sugar-substitutes#2
4. Rowe, R.C., Sheskey, P.J., & Quinn, M.E. (2009), Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients (6th Ed.) Pharmaceutical Press, London, p. 49
5. Yagasaki, M., & Hashimoto, S. (2008). Synthesis and application of dipeptides; current status and perspectives. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 81(1), 13–22. doi:10.1007/s00253-008-1590-3
6. "How Sweet Is It?". 60 Minutes. December 29, 1996.
7. Wikipedia. (2020). Aspartame Controversy. Retrieved February 10, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy
8. Toksikologicheskii Vestnik., (3)(37), 1996
9. Soffritti, M., Belpoggi, F., Espoti, D.D., Lambertini, L., Tibaldi, E., & Rigano, A. (2006). First Experimental Demonstration of the Multipotential Carcinogenic Effects of Aspartame Administered in the Feed to Sprague-Dawley Rats. Environmental Health Perspectives, 114(3), 379-385. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.8711
10. Soffritti, M., Belpoggi, F., Tibaldi, E., Espoti, D.D., & Lauriola, M. (2007) Life-Span Exposure to Low Doses of Aspartame Beginning during Prenatal Life Increases Cancer Effects in Rats. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115(9), 1293-1297. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.10271
11. Mitchell, H. (2006). Sweeteners and sugar alternatives in food technology. Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 94. ISBN 978-1-4051-3434-7.
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