APPLICATION A452 - ASPARTAME-ACESULPHAME SALT
08/03
19 March 2003
INITIAL/DRAFT ASSESSMENT REPORT
DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS to the Authority in relation to this matter: |
Full Report [ pdf 474kb ]
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND STATEMENT OF REASONS
An Application (A452) has been received from Holland Sweetener Company seeking approval for a new intense sweetener, aspartame-acesulphame salt, under Standard 1.3.1 – Food Additives in theAustralia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code). The product is known commercially as Twinsweet™.
Aspartame-acesulphame salt is a molecular combination of two already approved sweeteners, aspartame and acesulphame potassium. The aspartame-acesulphame salt, when added to foods (aqueous food and also in the mouth), dissociates into an anion (acesulphame) and a cation (aspartame) that are identical to the two already approved parent sweeteners, aspartame and acesulphame potassium.
Standard 1.3.1 - Food Additives requires that food additives undergo a pre-market risk assessment through an application to FSANZ before being offered for sale in Australia and New Zealand. Aspartame-acesulphame salt, while dissociating to two approved sweeteners in solution, is a chemically distinct compound when added to food and therefore must also undergo a pre-market safety assessment. The proposed variation to the Standard is however considered a minor amendment and thus the application will progress under section 36 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (FSANZ Act).
The Initial/Draft Assessment Report concludes that aspartame-acesulphame salt fulfils a specific technological purpose consistent with that of a food additive, namely, an intense sweetener. The aspartame-acesulphame salt is considered to exhibit synergy in relation to sweetness, which provides the potential to use lower concentrations to achieve a particular level of sweetness.
The safety of aspartame-acesulphame salt is based largely on the previous safety evaluations of the dissociated salts, aspartame and acesulphame potassium. The use of aspartame-acesulphame salt raises no additional safety concerns. Aspartame-acesulphame salt is intended to be used in foods only where acesulphame potassium is already permitted. New specifications for aspartame-acesulphame salt have been established. The ISN number 962 has been established.
Under Standard 1.2.3, there is a mandatory advisory statement applying to the use of aspartame in foods, which would also apply to the use of aspartame-acesulphame salt. The statement advises consumers that the product contains phenylalanine.
The regulatory impact analysis has concluded that the option to approve aspartame-acesulphame salt has advantages for consumers and for industry. There are no identified disadvantages to the approval of aspartame-acesulphame salt as an intense sweetener.
Full Report [ pdf 474kb ]