Aspartame
From Ukcider
Contents |
Whats is it?
Aspartame is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. Aspartame is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/ phenylalanine dipeptide. It was first synthesized in 1965 Under European labeling regulations it is known as E951
How is it made?
It is produced industrially through bacterial fermentation, often by a genetically modified form of E.Coli
How is it used?
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener. It is 100-150 times sweeter than sugar. While aspartame, like other peptides, has a caloric value of 4 kilocalories (17 kilojoules) per gram, the quantity of aspartame needed to produce a sweet taste is so small that its caloric contribution is negligible. The taste of aspartame is not identical to that of sugar: the sweetness of aspartame has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar. Blends of aspartame with acesulfame potassium—usually listed in ingredients as acesulfame K— are said to taste more like sugar, and to be sweeter than either substitute used alone. Aspartame has a relatively short life in alcoholic solution, so is unlikely to be used for anything requiring long-term storage. You are probably most likely to find it in home-brewed cider.
Whats the problem?
Aspartame, while sweet, does not taste identical to sugar and so can adversely affect the taste of cider. Properly manufactured real cider does not need sweetening. The use of Aspartame is simply a symptom of cost cutting and industrial cider
Once ingested, one of the metabolic breakdown products of Aspartame is Phenylalanine. This is a health hazard to those born with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare inherited disease that prevents phenylalanine from being properly metabolized.
Much controversy exists about the use of Aspartame, even though repeated health checks have passed it as suitable for food use. Some of this controversy can be found discussed in the links below. Wilder accusations are but a Google search away...
