aspartame, alias aspartame, aspartame, sugar substitute, food additive international code: E951, chemical name aspartame, is a non-carbohydrate artificial sweetener. It is produced by esterification of L- phenylalanine with methanol and then condensation amidation with L- aspartic acid. It was first successfully synthesized and patented in 1965, and the patent expired in 1992. White crystalline powder at room temperature. Because of its high sweetness and low calorie, aspartame is mainly added to drinks, vitamin buccal tablets or chewing gum instead of sugar. Many diabetics and dieters use aspartame as a sugar substitute.
when the FDA approved the addition of aspartame in food in 1974, its safety was repeatedly disputed politically and medically [2][3][4] A medical review in 27 concluded: "The existing scientific evidence shows that aspartame is safe as a non-nutritive sweetener at the current consumption level [5]. However, because its decomposition products include phenylalanine, people suffering from hereditary disease phenylketonuria (PKU) must avoid aspartame.