1. Aspartame
Aspartame, CAS 22839-47-0, E number E951, molecular formula C14H18N2O5, molecular weight 294.307.
Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sucrose. The chemical name is aspartic acid methyl ester, which is produced by a chemical or enzyme-catalyzed reaction of L-phenylalanine (or L-methyl phenylalanine ester) and L-aspartic acid. Aspartame was produced industrially in the late 1980s.
2. Aspartame physical properties
| Appearance | White powder or flake |
| Chemical formula | C14H18N2O5 |
| Molecular weight | 294.303 |
| Density | 1.3±0.1 g/cm3 |
| Boiling point | 535.8±50.0 °C at 760 mmHg |
| Melting point | 242-248 °C |
| Flashing point | 277.8±30.1 °C |
| Refractive index | 1.557 |
3. Aspartame advantages and disadvantages
3.1 Advantages
1. Aspartame has a refreshing, sucrose-like sweetness without the bitterness or metallic aftertaste usually associated with artificial sweeteners
2. Aspartame is used in low-calorie foods, which is ideal for people on diets and special diets.
3. Aspartame replaces sucrose to significantly reduce food and pharmaceutical costs.
4. Aspartame has a potentiating effect on certain food and beverage flavors, especially on sour fruit flavors
5. When aspartame is mixed with powerful sweeteners (such as saccharin sodium, acesulfame-k, or stevia), the product sometimes has a slightly bitter taste, which can be improved by increasing the proportion of aspartame in the mixture, and the degree of improvement increases with the proportion of aspartame.
3.2 Disadvantages
1. Aspartame is hydrolyzed at high temperatures or high pH, so it is not suitable for food products that need to be baked at high temperatures
2. Aspartame contains phenylalanine, so it is not suitable for patients with phenylketonuria
4. Aspartame manufacturers
Most of the aspartame production capacity is in China.
In China, the main manufacturers of aspartame are SinoSweet Co., Ltd, Vitasweet co. ltd, Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co., Ltd, Nantong Changhai Food Additive Co., ltd, and Changmao Biochemical Engineering Company Limited.
4.1 SinoSweet Co., Ltd
SinoSweet Co., Ltd. is a large world-class producer of aspartame and L-phenylalanine, the latter being the main raw material for aspartame. This combination of products then ensures the independence and competitiveness of SinoSweet.
4.2 Vitasweet co. ltd
Vitasweet co. ltd was established in 1995, and its main products include acesulfame and aspartame. Over the years, Vidor has been focusing on innovation and development in the field of sweeteners and has quickly grown to be a leader among professional manufacturers of sweeteners.
4.3 Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co., Ltd
Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co., Ltd. is located in Changzhou National Chemical Industry Park. The company was established in 2003 and has been focusing on the production and sales of aspartame since its establishment. Our current aspartame production capacity is 5,000 tons.
4.4 Nantong Changhai Food Additive Co., ltd
Nantong Changhai Food Additive Co., ltd. was established in 2003. It is currently an influential high-frequency sweetener producer, with aspartame, sucralose, and folic acid as its main products. It has been working hard in the food additive industry for more than 50 years, providing quality ingredients to the global food, human nutrition, animal nutrition, and pharmaceutical industries.
4.5 Changmao Biochemical Engineering Company Limited
Founded in 1992, Changmao Biochemical Engineering Company Limited. is a company whose main business is the production and sales of food additives, with its core products being L(+)-tartaric acid, L-malic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, and aspartame.
5. Summary
Aspartame has many advantages, such as low calories and costs savings; at the same time, stability and safety limit its use.
In China, the main producers of aspartame are SinoSweet Co., Ltd, Vitasweet co. ltd, Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co., Ltd, Nantong Changhai Food Additive Co., ltd, and Changmao Biochemical Engineering Company Limited.
