Acesulfame Potassium E950 Side Effects
Acesulfame Potassium, E950 also known as acesulfame K or Ace-K, is a calorie-free sweetener used in sugar-free products. Though it’s considered safe by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), some are convinced it has potentially dangerous health effects.
What Is It?
Acesulfame Potassium, CAS number 55589-62-3, E number E950, used as sweetener. Acesulfame Potassium is widely accepted as safe food sweetener in many food products. Acesulfame K can be found the use in soft drinks, protein shakes, drink mixes, frozen desserts, baked goods, candy, gum, and tabletop sweeteners. It is a calorie-free sugar substitute manufactured through chemical synthesis, available as powder.
Possible Side Effects of Acesulfame Potassium E950
# Acesulfame Potassium E950 contains acetoacetic acid can hamper the metabolism of the body.
# Rats which tested with Acesulfame Potassium E950 can lead to higher chances of developing breast tumors.
# Methylene chloride is used as a solvent in the manufacturing process of acesulfame potassium, can lead to side effects such as
Headaches, Liver complications, Mental confusion, Cancerous developments, Visual impairment and Renal diseases. Methylene chloride is used in paint stripper, degreaser and propellant gas. Long-term exposure to methylene chloride can cause headaches, depression, nausea, diarrhea, mental confusion, liver effects, kidney effects, visual disturbances, and cancer in humans.
GRAS Affirmation: Yes
Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) is an American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designation that a chemical or substance added to food is considered safe by experts, and so is exempted from the usual Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) food additive tolerance requirements. Acesulfame Potassium is considered safe by FDA according to existing data and granted GRAS status.
Suggested Dosage
Dosage of Acesulfame Potassium in large quantity may hurt our health, please follow the guideline of using Acesulfame Potassium E950: ADI 0-15 mg/kg bw
* ADI: Acceptable Daily Intake
* MTDI: maximum tolerable daily intake
* Data source: JECFA Database of WHO
Special Populations Precaution
There is a lot of concern about diet and nutrition for these population, like Newborns, children, pregnant, sensitive to Acesulfame potassium populations. As with most things for Newborns, children, pregnant, it is always best to consult with your health care provider about what artificial ingredients are safe for you to use.
Acesulfame potassium is safe and suitable for all segments of the population. There is no evidence that Acesulfame Potassium could have any side effects on these vulnerable populations.
How to avoid acesulfame potassium E950
By reading the labels of the foods and drinks you purchase, you should be able to identify the sweetener. It will be listed as acesulfame potassium, acesulfame K, or Ace-K, according to the FDA. It could also be labeled under the brand names.
As it’s a sugar replacement sweetener, you will largely find it in sugar-free or low-sugar products. Diet sodas may be sweetened with a combination of Ace-K and other artificial sweeteners.
Related Research
1. Long-term artificial sweetener acesulfame potassium treatment alters neurometabolic functions in C57BL/6J mice. [PLoS One. 2013 Aug] Author: Cong WN, Wang R, Cai H, Daimon CM, Scheibye-Knudsen M, Bohr VA, Turkin R, Wood WH 3rd, Becker KG, Moaddel R, Maudsley S, Martin B.
2. Effect of the artificial sweetener, acesulfame potassium, a sweet taste receptor agonist, on glucose uptake in small intestinal cell lines. [J Gastrointest Surg. 2013 Jan] Author: Zheng Y, Sarr MG.
How much rash is connected with acesilfame. There is a rash problem in our family for passed 10 months. Can you get rash after a long use?
I get a rash and hives every time I have a product. Mine was after months of use while being on a diet. If i accidentally get a soft drink or anything with this produce I can tell by the symptoms what I have gotten into. Benadryl usually stops my problem. I spent hundreds of dollars going to an allergist before he accidentally found my problem. This is not an answer to your question but you might try to stop using the product and note the difference.
Hi Nancy,
Ace-K is a sulfur-containing compound. It is estimated by The FDA that about 1% of people in the United States are sulfite hypersensitive, and 5% of these people are asthmatic. Allergy symptom associated with sulfite may include flushing, dermatitis, urticaria, hypotension and diarrhea to life-threatening anaphylactic and asthmatic reactions.
Details please see here: A case study involving allergic reactions to sulfur-containing compounds including, sulfite, taurine, acesulfame potassium and sulfonamides
Hi Norm,
I can understand your situation as some people may allergic to acesulfame potassium in the food they eat.
As you can see, it is an approved ingredient the safety of which has been authorized by the FDA since 1988 and more than 90 studies support its safety.
Please see the source from FDA for more details: Additional Information about High-Intensity Sweeteners Permitted for Use in Food in the United States
Meanwhile, you intake Ace-k from soft drink, I think the information from the company like Coca-Cola would be also a good source for you, please see here https://www.coca-colaproductfacts.com/en/faq/reduced-no-sugar-substitutes/is-acesulfame-potassium-safe/ . You’ll find why Coca-Cola use Ace-k and what kinds of its products contain it, with this information maybe you can avoid Ace-k in soft drink.