Acesulfame potassium

Acesulfame potassium
IUPAC name	potassium 6-methyl-2,2-dioxo-oxathiazin-4-olate
Other names	Acesulfame K Ace K
Identifiers
CAS number	[55589-62-3]
PubChem	23683747
EC number	259-715-3
SMILES	[K+].CC1=CC(=NS(=O)(=O)O1)[O-]
Properties
Molecular formula	C4H4KNO4S
Molar mass	201.242
Appearance	white crystalline powder
Density	1.81 g/cm3
Melting point	225 °C, 498 K, 437 °F
Solubility in water	270 g/L at 20 °C
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox references

Acesulfame potassium is a calorie-free artificial sweetener, also known as Acesulfame K or Ace K (K being the symbol for potassium), and marketed under the trade names Sunett and Sweet One. In the European Union, it is known under the E number (additive code) E950. It was discovered accidentally in 1967 by German chemist Karl Clauss at Hoechst AG (now Nutrinova).^[1] In chemical structure, acesulfame potassium is the potassium salt of 6-methyl-1,2,3- oxathiazine-4(3H)-one 2,2-dioxide. It is a white crystalline powder with molecular formula C₄H₄KNO₄S and a molecular weight of 201.24.^[2]

Properties

Acesulfame K is 180-200 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar), as sweet as aspartame, about half as sweet as saccharin, and one-quarter as sweet as sucralose. Like saccharin, it has a slightly bitter aftertaste, especially at high concentrations. Kraft Foods has patented the use of sodium ferulate to mask acesulfame's aftertaste.^[3] Acesulfame K is often blended with other sweeteners (usually sucralose or aspartame). These blends are reputed to give a more sugar-like taste whereby each sweetener masks the other's aftertaste, and/or exhibits a synergistic effect by which the blend is sweeter than its components.

Unlike aspartame, acesulfame K is stable under heat, even under moderately acidic or basic conditions, allowing it to be used in baking, or in products that require a long shelf life. In carbonated drinks, it is almost always used in conjunction with another sweetener, such as aspartame or sucralose. It is also used as a sweetener in pharmaceutical products^[4], especially chewable and liquid medications, where it can make the active ingredients more palatable.

Safety concerns

As with aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and other sweeteners that are sweeter than common sugars, there is concern over the safety of acesulfame potassium. Although studies of these sweeteners show varying and controversial degrees of dietary safety, the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has approved these for use as general-purpose sweetening agents. Critics of the use of acesulfame potassium say the chemical has not been studied adequately and may be carcinogenic, although these claims have been dismissed by the USFDA^[5] and by equivalent authorities in the European Union.^[6]

Several potential problems associated with the use of acesulfame have been raised. They are based largely on animal studies since testing on humans remains limited. The findings showed the following:

Acesulfame K has been shown to stimulate insulin secretion in rats in a dose dependent fashion thereby possibly aggravating reactive hypoglycemia ("low blood sugar attacks").^[7]

Rodent studies have shown no increased incidence of tumors in response to administration of acesulfame K. ^[8]

See also

• Acetoacetic acid
• Food additive
• Food safety
• List of food additives
• Soft drink
• Sweeteners

References

External links

• Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives evaluation monograph of Acesulfame Potassium
• FDA approval of Acesulfame Potassium
• FDA approval of Acesulfame Potassium as a General Purpose Sweetener in Food
• International Food Information Council article (IFIC) Foundation Everything You Need to Know About Acesulfame Potassium
• Whole Foods Market Health Info Acesulfame K
• Elmhurst College, Illinois Virtual ChemBook Acesulfame K
• Hazardous substances databank entry at the national library of medicine
• Discovery News Sweeteners Linger in Groundwater