Artificial Sweeteners

Additive

Sweeteners

Overview

Artificial sweeteners including aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium are synthetic compounds that provide intense sweetness 200-600 times greater than sugar in ultra-processed foods. These chemical additives serve as explicit markers of NOVA Group 4 classification, indicating industrial formulation processes incompatible with traditional food preparation methods.

76,650

Products contain this

1,457

Ingredient variations

Common forms

Aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, acesulfame K, neotame

Function

Artificial sweeteners enable calorie reduction while maintaining sweetness profiles in packaged foods, beverages, and manufactured food ingredients. These compounds provide heat stability for baking applications and pH stability for acidic products, while often being combined in complex blends to mask bitter aftertastes and create sugar-like flavor profiles.

Sources

Aspartame is synthesized through chemical coupling of L-aspartic acid and L-phenylalanine methyl ester, while sucralose undergoes selective chlorination of sucrose using specialized catalysts. Acesulfame potassium results from cyclization reactions with fluorosulfonyl compounds, requiring industrial chemical facilities and sophisticated manufacturing expertise.

Health Considerations

Scientific literature presents ongoing debates about artificial sweetener impacts on glucose metabolism and gut microbiome composition, though regulatory agencies maintain safety approval at current consumption levels. The presence of artificial sweeteners in food products typically correlates with other ultra-processed ingredients including preservatives and artificial flavors.

Regulatory

The FDA regulates artificial sweeteners as food additives with established Acceptable Daily Intake levels: aspartame (50 mg/kg), sucralose (5 mg/kg), and acesulfame potassium (15 mg/kg) body weight per day. Products containing aspartame must include phenylketonuria warnings, and all artificial sweeteners require specific ingredient labeling by name.

Common Variations (50 total)

3.6% Sodium Saccharin (32mg as Saccharin),Acesulfame-k Ginseng Extract,Acesulfame-potassium,Acesulfame Potassium and Fd&c Blue 1.,Acesulfame Potassium and Potassium Citrate.,Acesulfame Potassium. Vitamins and Minerals: Ma,Artificial Sweeteners (Aspartame,Aspartame+ and Acesulfame Potassium (Sweeteners),Aspartame*** and Silicone Dioxide.,Aspartame*** and Silicone Dioxide. ***Contains Phenylalanine,Aspartame; B&o Yellow B,Aspartame (Contain Phenylalanine)(E951)and 38 more...