Aspartame in food

K Tamase, Y Kitada, M Sasaki, Y Ueda, R Takeshita. Determination of aspartame in foods by high performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector. J Food Hyg Soc Jpn 26(5) 515-518, 1985. 

A Ibe, K Saito, M Nakazato, Y Kikuchi, K Fujinuma, Y Naoi, T Nishima. Detection and determination of aspartame in foods by thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. J FoodHyg Soc Jpn 26(1) 1-6, 1985. 

Aspartame has been assayed by a flow injection analysis biosensor employing an immobilized enzyme (pronase) which cleaves the peptide bond. The resulting phenylalanine methyl ester is then detected by an L-amino acid oxidase electrode. This method was applied to analysis of aspartame in foods [82]. 

The stability of aspartame in food products has been studied [34], with the main degradation product being the substituted 2,5-diketopiperazine. Stability in syrup medication vehicles has also been examined [35]. 

Aspartame is hydrolyzed entirely in the gastrointestinal tract to its constituent amino acids, aspartate and phenylalanine, and methanol. These are absorbed by the body and utilized via the same metabolic pathways as when these same constituents are derived from common foods they are found in common foods in much larger quantities than from aspartame in foods or beverages. 

Applications of FIA have been quite varied with some comparisons reported. One comparison of different biosensor systems, in situ versus flow-through FIA, was made by Bilitewski et al (1993). Others compared different sensors in the FIA system (Scheper et al 1993). Gebbert et al (1994) reported an online system for monitoring monoclonal antibodies. A multisensor FIA system operated with a software package FIACRE was reported by Busch et al (1993). A biosensor system to determine aspartame in food products was reported by Male et al (1993). Biofield effect transistors were reported by Kullick et al... 

In this chapter, the existing methodologies for the determination of aspartame in food items and beverages will be described and discussed in terms of the analytical strategies implemented, their analytical performances, and the sample pretreatment approaches. 

Solid-phase chemistry associated with spectrophotometric detection in flow systems is also a good alternative for the determination of aspartame in food items. In this topic, one must consider not only the utilization of solid phase exchangers or adsorbents to build flow-through optosensors [36,37,40] but also the immobilization of reagents on a solid matrix in packed reactor format [41,42], This approach has been successfully explored mainly for the analysis of analyte mixtures through the use of microcolumns... 

TABLE 23.2 Enzyme-Based Flow Methodologies for the Determination of Aspartame in Food Items... 

Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener used in many foods and drinks. Because it is between 160 and 200 times sweeter than sugar, only very small amounts are needed to sweeten a product. A typical 12-ounce low-calorie soft drink will have 180 milligrams of aspartame in it. 

Hagenauer Hener, U., Frank, C., Hener, U., Mosandl, A., Determination of aspartame, acesulfam-K, saccharin, caffeine, sorbic acid and benzoic acid in foods by HPLC. Bestimmung von Aspartam, Acesulfam-K, Saccharin, Coffein, Sorbinsaeure und Benzoesaeure in Lebensmitteln mittels HPLC Deutsche-Lebensmittel-Rundschau, 86(11),348-351,1990. 

In addition to sucrose, a number of other sweetening agents have been utilized in foods and pharmaceuficals over the years, including dextrose, mannitol, sorbitol, aspartame, saccharin, and others. Some sweeteners, such as sucrose, aid in preserving the product. 

Abstract Aspartame (Apt), Acesulfame-K (Ace-K) low-calorie, high-potency artificial sweeteners ate cnnently nsed in beverages and dietary food and drinks. Their increased application in food and drink prodncts has given a new impetus to develop fast and accurate methods for their determination. Absorption spectra of Asp, Caf, Ace-K and BA strongly overlap. Therefore a direct determination of these analytes in quaternary mixture is impossible without a separation step. In order to overcome this difficulty partial least squares (PLS) method has been proposed. 

Staff Applications of Aspartame in Baking, Food Technology. 56 (January 1988). Staff Evaluation of Advanced Sweeteners, Food Technology, 60 (Januaiy 1988). 

J Prodolliet, M Bruelhart. Determination of aspartame and its major decomposition products in foods. J AOAC Int 76(2) 275-282, 1993. 

JW Fellows, SW Chang, WH Shazer. Stability of aspartame in fruit preparations used in yogurt. J Food Sci 56(3) 689-691, 1991. 

T Moriyasu, K Saito, M Nakazato, F Ishikawa, T Nishima. Determination of acesulfame-K, saccharin and aspartame in various foods. Jpn J Toxicol Environm Health 37(2) 97-102, 1991. 

L-aspartic acid is used in production of aspartame, in pharmaceuticals and as a food additive. A bioprocess for the production of this amino acid was first commercialized in 1973 by Tanabe Seiyaku Co. (Japan) and... 

Aspartame is a dipeptide derivative, L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester, which was approved in the United States in 1981 for use as a tabletop sweetener, in dry beverage mixes, and in foods that are not heat processed. This substance is metabolized in the body to phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol. Only people with phenylketonuria cannot break down phenylalanine. Another compound, diketopiperazine, may also be formed. However, no harmful effects from this compound have been demonstrated. The main limiting factor in the use of aspartame is its lack of heat stability (Homier 1984). 

Aspartame (trade name Nutrasweet i. ery m 1, 5 pow widely used in foods and... 

The example of an LC chiral separation shown in Figure 12.6 serves to emphasise (a) that the demand for effective chiral selectors is such that even complex synthetic chiral selectors have been commercialised, and (b) the interest in chirality extends beyond pharmaceutical applications, being widespread and in this instance being found in food analysis. Aspartame (N-DL-cx-aspartyl-DL-phenylalanine methyl ester (Figure 12.7)) can exist as four stereoisomers, DD-, LL-, DL- and LD-. On an achiral column DD- and LL- would appear as a single peak which would be separable from another single peak arising from DL- and LD-. A chiral column is needed to separate the enantiomeric pairs (i.e. DD- from LL- and DL-from LD-). The LL-isomer is used as artificial sweetener (under the brand... 

Beck, C.I. Application potential for aspartame in low calorie and dietetic food. In Low Calorie and Dietary Food Dwivedi, B.K., Ed. CRC Press, Inc. Boca Raton, FL, 1978 68. 

The typical level used in foods is 1-5 ppm although much higher levels may be used in certain applications such as chewing gum. Synergistic effects occur with other intense and bulk sweeteners such as acesulfame K, aspartame, polyols, and saccharin. ... 

The replacement of saccharide sweeteners (first of all sucrose) in food with various natural and synthetic sweeteners of very high RS (currently, mainly saccharine, aspartame, and cyclamates) is a task. It is also a demand of consumers looking for low-calorie food. Also, diabetics are looking for food free of insulin-requiring saccharides and polysaccharides. Following such demands, problems are encountered in providing the anticipated texture of sweet products manufactured without saccharides (Mazurkiewicz et al., 2001). 

Artificial or intense sweeteners are often used not only to restrict the sugar intake in food and beverages but also to boost the degree of sweetness to mask bitter notes. Only few are approved for use in over 80 countries (e.g., saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium). There is some ongoing controversy over whether artificial sweeteners are health risks despite lack of scientifically controlled peer-reviewed studies in general consistently to produce clear evidence. It is to be noted that if an acceptable daily intake (ADI) value is available, most of the time it is for a general adult population and not specifically for pediatric and geriatric population. 

Another potential use of HP refers to agglomeration of powders that can be used in the elaboration of food bars, tablets, etc. (Mozhaev et al., 1994). Also, culture of microorganisms at HP to produce gases and to prepare phenylalanine methyl ester (used in the synthesis of aspartame) in bioreactors is another use of this new technology in the food area (Mozhaev et al., 1994). 

Comparison of CZE with HPLC for the det. of additives in food stuffs Caffeine, aspartame benzoic acid in soft drinks sweetening powders Cola degassed, diluted powders dissolved, filtered and diluted... 

---