Use of aspartame in food

What is aspartame? Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener that has been used for decades as a way to reduce the consumption of added sugars. In addition, you can enjoy a sweet taste by using this sweetener. It is about 200 times sweeter than sugar, so only a small amount is needed to match the sweetness of sugar. Aspartame is often mixed with other sweeteners or food ingredients in daily consumable packages, foods, and beverages to minimize bitterness and enhance the overall taste. This substance is composed of two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. After consumption, it is broken down into these amino acids and used in protein synthesis and metabolism. In addition to aspartic acid and phenylalanine, its digestion also produces a small amount of methanol; a compound naturally found in foods such as fruits and vegetables and their juices. The amount of methanol produced from consuming a beverage sweetened with aspartame is about five to six times less than the amount obtained from the same volume of tomato juice. What is the application of aspartame in food? In the food industry, this sweetener is often used in acidic food products because it is very stable. However, when heated, aspartame loses its sweetness. Therefore, aspartame is mainly used in diet sodas and often in cold-prepared foods. The purpose of using aspartame in the food industry is to reduce sugar intake and calories. For this reason, you can find this substance as a substitute for sugar in many foods. Here is a list of common foods that usually contain aspartame: carbonated beverages, powdered drinks, instant coffee and tea drinks, fruit juice, tabletop sweeteners, dairy products, frozen desserts, pudding, yogurt, chewing gum, mouth fresheners, diet soft drinks and cereals. As mentioned earlier, this sweetener cannot be used in cooking because aspartame is not stable and hydrolyzes (breaks down) into amino acids at temperatures above 80 degrees Celsius.

Other artificial sweeteners (such as sucralose, acesulfame k, sodium cyclamate, sodium saccharin, neotame) are more stable and can be used in this field.