As implied by the latest name of aspartame which appeared on the market
- AminoSweet, this is a non-saccharide sweetener obtained from amino acids. To be more precise, it is the methyl ester of
aspartic acid and the dipeptide of phenylalanine, which is a molecule comprising of two amino acids joined by a singular peptide
bond. In addition, phenylalanine is an essential amino acid and a precursor to tyrosine, a signaling molecule which stimulates
the synthesis of
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the skin pigment melanin and certain neurotransmitters, like dopamine
for instance. Known as E951, aspartame was introduced in Europe a quarter of a century ago, whereas in the U.S. its use was
officially approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981. Soon afterwards, evidence classifying aspartame as
a possible carcinogen began to emerge andthe controversy as to how safe this substance is continues to date.
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