Aspartame

Description

C_{14}H_{18}N_2O_5

• Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used in the food industry to provide sweetness with very low caloric contribution compared to regular sugar.
• Manufacturers commonly add it to diet soft drinks, sugar-free desserts, chewing gum, flavored yogurt, and other reduced-sugar processed foods.
• It is intensely sweet, so only small amounts are needed to achieve the desired flavor in food and beverage formulations.
• Unlike some other artificial sweeteners, aspartame is less stable at high temperatures, which limits its use in certain heat-processed products.
• On ingredient labels, aspartame appears as a non-nutritive sweetener and is approved for regulated food use, with mandatory warnings for people with phenylketonuria (PKU).