Food Encyclopedia

Acesulfame-K

Formulated by the Germans in the late 1960s, this noncaloric artificial sweetener (also called Ace-K and acesulfame potassium) was approved in the United States by the Federal Drug Administration in 1988. It's 200 times sweeter than sugar and, unlike aspartame, retains its sweetness when heated, making it suitable for cooking and baking. When used in large amounts, however, Ace-K has a bitter aftertaste, much like that of saccharin. This sweetener is composed of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, sulphur and potassium atoms. It's widely used in a broad range of commercial products including baked goods, candies and imitation dairy products. See also alitame; neotame; sucralose.