Aspartame-acesulfame salt
Encyclopedia
Aspartame-acesulfame salt is an artificial sweetener marketed under the name Twinsweet. It is produced by soaking a 2-1 mixture of aspartame
and acesulfame potassium
in an acidic solution and allowing it to crystallize; moisture and potassium are removed during this process. It is approximately 350 times as sweet as sucrose
.
E962. In North America it falls under the same regulations as aspartame and acesulfame-K, and is also approved for use in China, Russia, Hong-Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
In December 2006 HSC ceased all of its aspartame operations, citing a glut in the market driving prices below profitable values. The rights to aspartame-acesulfame are now owned by The NutraSweet Company Inc who have continued to market the sweetener successfully in the USA and EU.
Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. In the European Union, it is codified as E951. Aspartame is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide. It was first sold under the brand name NutraSweet; since 2009 it...
and acesulfame potassium
Acesulfame potassium
Acesulfame potassium is a calorie-free artificial sweetener, also known as Acesulfame K or Ace K , and marketed under the trade names Sunett and Sweet One. In the European Union, it is known under the E number E950...
in an acidic solution and allowing it to crystallize; moisture and potassium are removed during this process. It is approximately 350 times as sweet as sucrose
Sucrose
Sucrose is the organic compound commonly known as table sugar and sometimes called saccharose. A white, odorless, crystalline powder with a sweet taste, it is best known for its role in human nutrition. The molecule is a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose with the molecular formula...
.
History
Aspartame-acesulfame salt was invented in 1995 by sweetener expert Dr John Fry while working for The Holland Sweetener Company (HSC), a subsidiary of DSM |DSM. HSC marketed it with the name Twinsweet. It was approved for use as an artificial sweetener in the European Parliament and Council Directive 94/35 EC as amended by Directive 2003/ 115/ EC in 2003. It has been given the E numberE number
E numbers are number codes for food additives that have been assessed for use within the European Union . They are commonly found on food labels throughout the European Union. Safety assessment and approval are the responsibility of the European Food Safety Authority...
E962. In North America it falls under the same regulations as aspartame and acesulfame-K, and is also approved for use in China, Russia, Hong-Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
In December 2006 HSC ceased all of its aspartame operations, citing a glut in the market driving prices below profitable values. The rights to aspartame-acesulfame are now owned by The NutraSweet Company Inc who have continued to market the sweetener successfully in the USA and EU.