Aspartam Safe or Not?

Year [1981] aspartam get approval from the [FDA] to be used on some types of food. To get this approval, many of [scientific research] that should be reviewed first. Once declared safe for consumption, the FDA would approve them. FDA has been evaluating the use of aspartam in the food and drink as much as 26 times since first approving their use. And from scientific evidence that there is, the years since [1996] FDA approved the use of aspartam as[sweetener] made that can be used in all foods and beverages.

Currently aspartam already in various forms, such as liquid, [granular], [enkapsulasi] and [flour]. Thus, aspartam can be used in various forms and types of food and beverages. Enkapsulasi form a heat-resistant so it can be used for products that require high temperatures in the produce.

After the approval obtained, does not mean there are no other studies conducted. More than 100 studies have been conducted since 1981, and until now, the FDA does not change opinions. Aspartam has now approved its use in more than 100 countries, including [Indonesian].
Head of Biochemistry Laboratory of Food and Nutrition IPB Prof.Dr.ir. Made Astawan said aspartam MS is a low-calorie sweetener with a sweetness 200 times sweetness of sugar (consumption of sucrose), so that to achieve the same point of sweetness required aspartam less than one percent of the consumption of sucrose. Like many other peptida, aspartam energy content is very low at around 4 KCal (17 kJ) per gram to produce sweet, so the contribution can be ignored kalori causing aspartam very popular to avoid calories from sugar.

Excellence is aspartam have a very low energy, have a sweet taste similar to sugar, without the bitter taste, not damage teeth, to reinforce the taste of fruits in the food and beverage, can be used as a sweetener in food or drink in between all the people diabetes.many calories sweetener is not only the experience aspartam metabolism. But the process of digestion aspartam also like other protein digestion process. Aspartam will be split into basic components, and both aspartam components and basically will not be accumulated in the body.

In normal circumstances, fenilalanin changed to tirosin and removed from the body. Disturbances in that process (called fenilketonuria illness or fenilalaninemia or fenilpiruvat oligofrenia, abbreviated PKU) cause fenilalanin buried in the blood and can poison the brain and cause mental retardation. This disease is inherited in the genetic, the body does not produce enzymes capable of processing fenilalanin amino acid, causing a high rate of fenilalanin in the blood, which is harmful to the body.

Both of these amino acids naturally contained in the various the protein food such as meat, grains and dairy products. However aspartam synthetic can be made in the laboratory.Security Aspartam have been declared safe to be used both for diabetes sufferer, pregnant women, breastfeeding women and even children.Exceptions only one, the people fenilketonuria. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), Americam Medical Association (AMA), The American Council On Sience and Health (ACSH) aspartam food that is safe for health, only affect the sweet.

Research using aspartam a bolus of 34 mg / kg of body weight showed that although the results of metabolic aspartam can pass through blood sawar Hampi, the number is not meant to cause disruption to be nerve in the fetus. Research made to the people, not animals mouse explains that there is no evidence that the soda drinks that contain sweeteners aspartam can increase the risk of occurrence of cancer. Aspartam can be parsed by the body into two amino acids and sweeteners, including nutritif. Only, aspartam not stand high temperatures, because the high temperature aspartam unravel into a compound called diketopiperazin that although it is not harmful to the body, but no longer sweet. Therefore, aspartam not be used in cakes and manufacturer of products used only for drinks, ice cream, and beer, wine, yoghurt. If digested by the body to normal, aspartam will generate acid aspartat and fenilalanin. Thus, it is safe to eat.

Fenilketonuria is a disease in which the sufferer can not made in the metabolism fenilalanin is good because the body does not have the enzyme that mengoksida fenilalanin become tirosin and the damage can occur in the brain of children. And because it is necessary to control the Feed fenilalanin was. The disease has never been found in Indonesia, but the white people, Hobbes is why only one per 15,000 people. Not only aspartam, but also all kinds of foods that contain fenilalanin including rice, meat and dairy products. Therefore, in every product that contains aspartam there are signs warning people to fenilketonuria that consumed the products contain fenilalanin.

To increase the security factor in their use, the FDA also provide the boundaries of the recommended. The term used is Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), which means that the Feed the daily allowed. Size used is the amount of sweetener per kilogram of body weight per day which can be consumed safely throughout their life without risk. ADI is a conservative level, which generally represents the amount of 100 times smaller than the maximum level that does not show side effects in animal research. ADI to aspartam is 40 mg / kg of body weight.
Later this security for the use of aspartam start in question by many parties, but that has been certified safe by the FDA and the European FSA finally called controversy. More thorough investigation began many proposed to explain how the relationship between aspartam and many negative effects that may in timbulkan by such as headaches, brain tumors and limpoma.Semua this discovery, added the possibility of danger aspartam truth will make people start thinking back to using aspartam.

In the final this many outstanding issues regarding the use of aspartame is with the name of Food And Drug Control Agency. To this for the Food And Drug Control Agency on 12 July 2006 and through the Head of Legal and Public Relations Bureau has issued a letter of rebuttal about it, and then followed that with LETTER - Tax circular: KH.00.01.234.084 August 11, 2006 from the Head of State for Drugs and Food Dr. Husniah R. Thamrin Akib, MS, MKes, Sp.FK, defiance News About Food Products Containing the Artificial Sweeteners.
So far there is no use of aspartame in thin foods, beverages, and supplemen origin in accordance with the suggestion that applicable in Indonesia.

Study science in the study showed that the human digestive aspartam metabolisme and quickly unravel into amino acids, acid aspartat, fenilalanin, and metanol, so it can increase the rate of fenilalanin in the blood. Therefore, on the label, should be included special warning for people fenilketonuria.

To increase the security factor in their use, the FDA gave the boundaries of the recommended. The term used is Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), which means that the Feed the daily allowed. Size used is the amount of sweetener per kilogram of body weight per day which can be consumed safely throughout their life without risk. ADI is a conservative level, which generally represents the amount of 100 times smaller than the maximum level that does not show side effects in animal research.

The amount is safe enough and almost not be exceeded in the general day-to-day. In fact, the amount we consume on average only about 10% of the ADI. This is due to the high level of sweetness of the sweetener-sweetener. This means that the amount has been able to give a little sweet taste that high. Food And Drug Control allow aspartam as sweeteners with the ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) of 40 mg / kg of body weight.

The use of in a long time and side effects
Although the FDA is approving aspartame (1981) as a safe artificial sweetener consumed, but various studies to ensure the security of aspartame is still done, and there has been no report of the research supported by the data accurately states that aspartame have dangerous side effects such as which only recently (FDA Statement, May 8, 2006)

Aspartame safe to use by people of all ages except PKU (phenylketonuria), people with this aberration is usually detected since the baby.

To ward issues that connect with aspartame cancer research conducted on a man (not animals / mouse) on aspartame in the report and inform 4 April 2006 in meeting the American Association for Cancer Research. Research of this explains that there is no evidence that the soda drinks that contain sweeteners aspartam can increase the risk of occurrence of cancer. The results of this research is to improve the risk of bad opinion about the use of aspartam, said Michael Jacobson, the leader of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, where one year ago said that aspartam danger for the health of the results of research on animals rats.