Although its components—aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol—occur naturally in foods, aspartame itself does not and must be manufactured. NutraSweet' aspartame is made through fermentation and synthesis processes. Direct fermentation produces the starting amino acids needed for the manufacture of aspartame. In this process, specific types of bacteria which have the ability to produce certain amino acids are raised in large quantities.
Over the course of about three days, the amino acids are harvested and the bacteria are destroyed. Aspartame can be made by various synthetic chemical pathways. In general, phenylalanine is modified by a reaction with methanol and then combined with a slightly modified aspartic acid which eventually forms aspartame.
The quality of the compounds is checked regularly during the manufacturing process. Of particular importance are frequent checks of the bacterial culture during fermentation. Also, various physical and chemical properties of the finished product are checked, such as pH level, melting point, and moisture content.
Currently, there are only three alternative sweeteners in the United States that can be used in food products. While aspartame is perhaps one of the best available, scientists are looking for new ways to make these sweeteners taste as much like sugar as possible.
Their research has been focused in three areas, including finding new derivatives, blending sweeteners, and enhancing the efficiency of aspartame. Most of the chemical derivative work has centered on finding compounds which will fit into the taste bud receptors better than traditional aspartame. Using aspartame as the model, researchers believe they will be able to improve various characteristics by making slight modifications.
For example, they have found that when L-aspartic acid alone is modified in a certain way, it gives products that have a sweet taste. Future research will likely focus on these kinds of derivatives.
Another area of research focuses on improving the heat stability of aspartame. Using encapsulation technology, aspartame has been developed which can be used in baked goods and baking mixes. Initial test results are positive, and FDA approval has been granted for bakery applications. Since only three synthetic sugar substitutes are currently approved for use in food in the U. Here, scientists combine two or three sweeteners in an effort to make the product taste more sugarlike.
Nabors, Lyn, and Robert Gelardi. Alternative Sweeteners. Marcel Dekker, Inc. Best, Daniel and Lisa Nelson. Tomasula, Dean. Toggle navigation. Made How Volume 3 Aspartame Aspartame. Periodicals Best, Daniel and Lisa Nelson. Other articles you might like:. User Contributions: 1. Phenylalanine is one of three compounds that make up aspartame. However, aspartame provides significantly lower amounts of phenylalanine than everyday food sources, such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products.
People with PKU need to monitor all dietary sources of phenylalanine to avoid toxic levels. Because of this, all products containing phenylalanine in the U.
Tardive dyskinesia or TD is a neurological disorder that causes sudden, uncontrollable jerking movements of the face and body. It most often results from long-term use of antipsychotic medications.
Some research on causes of TD suggests phenylalanine may trigger the muscle movements that characterize TD. Examples of medications that may include aspartame are laxatives and chewable vitamin supplements. Those wishing to limit their intake of aspartame can try an alternative natural sweetener from the list below:. Although the above options may be preferable to aspartame, people should only use them in small amounts.
They can be high in calories, similarly to sugar, with little or no nutritional value. Excessive amounts can also cause tooth decay. There is still much controversy surrounding the safety of aspartame, despite approval from authorities around the world.
Recent scientific evidence suggests that regular, long-term intake of aspartame and other low-calorie sweeteners may have negative effects on weight management, but more rigorous research is necessary to confirm these findings. There is little evidence to suggest that occasional consumption of aspartame is detrimental to health for those who are of a healthy weight.
For those with obesity, however, regular consumption of low-calorie sweeteners may increase the risk of metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Learn how to work out how many calories are burned per day, including specific totals for different types of activities and exercises.
Being underweight can cause health problems, but anyone wanting to put on weight should take care to do this the right way. In addition to increasing…. What are the benefits of honey and sugar compared to their disadvantages and risks? What are the similarities and differences between honey and sugar…. Several factors can make it difficult for people with diabetes to gain weight.
These include hormonal imbalances that result from fluctuating insulin…. In this Honest Nutrition feature, we explore the practice of "clean eating," and why this concept has been a controversial one for researchers.
What are the side effects of aspartame? How safe is it? Body weight Appetite Metabolism Associated risks Who should avoid it?
Products Alternatives Takeaway Aspartame is a widely used, low-calorie, artificial sweetener and one of the most popular sugar substitutes in low-calorie food and drinks, including diet sodas. How safe is aspartame? Effects on body weight. It is used in many foods and beverages because it is much sweeter than sugar, so much less of it can be used to give the same level of sweetness.
It can also be found as a flavoring in some medicines. Rumors and concerns about aspartame causing a number of health problems, including cancer, have been around for many years.
Some of the concerns about cancer stem from the results of studies in rats published by a group of Italian researchers, which suggested aspartame might increase the risk of some blood-related cancers leukemias and lymphomas.
However, later reviews of the data from these studies have called these results into question.
0コメント