Aspartame

Aspartame, an artificial sweetener, is made up of

amino acids phenylalanine, aspartic acid and a small
amount of methanol. It gives sweet taste which is
two hundred times sweeter than sucrose. There are
several types of product that include Aspartame such
as soft drinks, dessert mixes, frozen dessert and
yogurt, chewable multi-vitamins, breakfast cereals,
tabletop sweetness, as well as pharmaceuticals.
Aspartame is used world-wide as sweetener in food and beverage industries since it has
been evaluated and is considered as a safety chemical by various regulatory agencies.[1]

Other Names
-
h y l N -L
pti de [2]
t -
1-Me spartyl-L
-a t[
2]
Dipe
alpha lanate
[2]
a swee tene
r
yla Nutr swee
phen
Chemical

Properties [2]]

Molecular formula: C14H18N2O5

Molecular Weight: 294.307 g/mol

Hydrogen Bond Donor Count: 3

Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count: 6

pH: ~ 4.3 at room

temperature

Formal Charge 0

Physical Properties[2]
Color: Colorless needles from water
White crystalline powder from
water or alcohol
Odor: Odorless

Taste: Sweet

Melting Point: 246.5 C

Solubility: More soluble in acidic solutions

and hot water
Slightly soluble in alcohol
Insoluble in oils

Applications

Food Production

found in gum, candy and jam to

improve flavor [3]

Beverage

found in carbonated drinks, soluble coffee and

yoghurt to improve flavor [3]

Pharmaceutical

replace of sugar for the patients with cardiovascular

disease, diabetes and obesity [3]

References
1. Marinovich, M., Galli, C., Bosetti, C., Gallus, S., Vecchia, C. (2013). Aspartame, low-calorie
sweeteners and disease: Regulatory safety and epidemiological issues. Journal of Food and Chemical
Toxicology, 60, 109-115.

2. Aspartame. (n.d.). Retrieved May 20, 2017, from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/

aspartame

3. Shawn, S. (2014, October 27). Applications and Uses of Aspartame. Retrieved May 24, 2017, from http://
www.foodchemadditives.com/applications-uses/1539