However, it wasclarified that artificial sweeteners may play a role in weight gain and they are a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The European Food Safety association announced that it has ruled out “any potential risk of aspartame causing damage to genes and inducing cancer.” Recently, due to an imposed advertising campaign to dispel fears about Diet Coke containing aspartame, Coca Cola Co. had a fall in sales.
Aspartame, codified in the European Union as E951, is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid / phenylamine dipeptide. It was first synthesized in 1965. It is particularly not recommended for people with the genetic condition phenylketonuria (PKU). Under strongly acidic or alkaline conditions aspartame may generate methanol by hydrolysis.
Aspartame is approximately 200 times sweeter than table sugar. Its caloric contribution when metabolized is negligible.
