EFSA reconfirms safety of aspartame-acesulfame salt in latest scientific opinion

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has officially concluded its re-evaluation of the food additive aspartame-acesulfame salt (E 962), declaring that its current application levels in food and beverages present no safety risks.

Commonly used as a sweetener in sugar-free and energy-reduced products, E 962 breaks down into its constituent parts—aspartame and acesulfame—upon consumption. During the assessment, EFSA's Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF) determined that the current use levels for acesulfame K (E 950), aspartame (E 951), and E 962 are entirely safe.

This safety assurance relies on established Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs). The panel reconfirmed the existing ADI for aspartame at 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight daily and incorporated the recently revised ADI for acesulfame K at 15 milligrams per kilogram of body weight daily. According to EFSA's findings, dietary exposure estimates for all demographic groups remain safely beneath these thresholds.

Alongside the safety verdict, the scientific panel put forward key recommendations to update European Union regulations. Experts advise revising EU specifications for E 962 to guarantee alignment with the individual standards of aspartame and acesulfame K used to manufacture it. Furthermore, mirroring strategies applied to other reviewed sweeteners, they recommended tightening the limits for heavy metals like arsenic and lead within the official specifications for aspartame (E 951).

The formal scientific opinion was adopted in July 2026 during an open plenary session of the FAF Panel, which gave observers transparent insight into the collective decision-making process. The evaluation adhered to standardized protocols for hazard identification, characterisation, and dietary exposure assessment that underwent public consultation stages in 2019 and 2020.

For a comprehensive breakdown of the methodology and complete findings, the full scientific opinion is available at the EFSA Journal.

Source:

EFSA