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Aspartame

CAS 7421-84-3 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 3 other CAS numbers

53906-69-7 · 172964-81-7 · 22839-47-0

Aspartame chemical structure

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence

Aspartame in plain language

What it is

Also known as Aspartame (E951) · Ins NO.951 · INS-951 · L-aspartyl-l-phenylalanyl methyl ester · L-phenylalanine, n-l-.alpha.-aspartyl-, 1-METHYL ester · Methyl aspartylphenylalanate

Show all 30 names

Methyl L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalaninate · 1-Methyl N-L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalanate · 3-Amino-N-(α-carboxyphenethyl)succinamic acid N-methyl ester · Apm · Asp-phe-ome · Aspartamum · Aspartylphenylalanine methyl ester · Canderel · Dipeptide sweetener · E-951 · Equal · L-Aspartame · L-Aspartyl-L-3-phenylalanine methyl ester · L-Aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester · L-Phenylalanine, L-α-aspartyl-, 2-methyl ester · N-L-alpha-Aspartyl-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester · Nutrasweet · Pal sweet · SC-18862 · Sladex · Sweet dipeptide · Zero-cal · aspartam · aspartamo

What it does

Used in cosmetics as a flavouring.

  • Flavouring
  • Sweetener
  • Deodorant
Is it a concern?
Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

Why it's flagged

EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 36 composition records across product categories including Cleaning and safety, Food and drug, Medical/dental.

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

No restrictions found. Aspartame appears in these published regulatory listings.

  • In marketed US drugs
  • Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

  • Found in consumer products
  • Beauty
  • Cleaning
  • Pharma
  • Food
  • Industrial
  • USFDAinactive ingredient database19 entries — 3 administration routes
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: POWDER, FOR SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 420 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 40 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 23 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SYRUP; Potency: 0.63 mg/5mlSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Maximum daily exposure: 87 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, CHEWABLE; Maximum daily exposure: 195 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, CHEWABLE, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 18 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, FILM COATED; Maximum daily exposure: 20 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, FOR SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 15 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, ORALLY DISINTEGRATING; Maximum daily exposure: 180 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: POWDER, FOR SOLUTION; Potency: 233 mgSource →
    • Route: SUBLINGUAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Maximum daily exposure: 8 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: POWDER; Maximum daily exposure: 63 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: LOZENGE; Maximum daily exposure: 136 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: GRANULE, FOR SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 420 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: GRANULE, EFFERVESCENT; Potency: 30 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 3 mgSource →
    • Route: BUCCAL; Dosage form: FILM, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 1 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, ORALLY DISINTEGRATING, DELAYED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 78 mgSource →
  • EUEFSAEFSA opinion4 entries
    • Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in contact with Food (AFC) on a request from the Commission related to a new long-term carcinogenicity study on aspartame (EFSA AFC)Source →
    • Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of aspartame (E 951) as a food additive (EFSA ANS)Source →
    • Updated opinion on a request from the European Commission related to the 2nd ERF carcinogenicity study on aspartame, taking into consideration study data submitted by the Ramazzini Foundation in February 2009 (EFSA ANS)Source →
    • Opinion on a request from the European Commission related to the 2nd ERF carcinogenicity study on aspartame (EFSA ANS)Source →
  • EUEFSAEFSA statement2 entries
    • Statement on two recent scientific articles on the safety of artificial sweeteners (EFSA ANS)Source →
    • Statement of EFSA on the scientific evaluation of two studies related to the safety of artificial sweeteners (EFSA ANS)Source →
  • EUCosIngActiveListed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.
    • Listed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.Source →
  • GLOBALJECFA0-40 mg/kg bwJECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-40 mg/kg bw. Functional class: sweetener.
    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-40 mg/kg bw. Functional class: sweetener.Source →
  • USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 36 composition records across product categories including Cleaning and safety, Food and drug, Medical/dental. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Flavouring and nutrient, Deodorizer.
    • EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 36 composition records across product categories including Cleaning and safety, Food and drug, Medical/dental. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Flavouring and nutrient, Deodorizer.Source →
  • USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 7 active drug products and 12 total products.
    • FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 7 active drug products and 12 total products.Source →
  • USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
    • openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →
  • USUSDA FoodData Centralobserved in branded food ingredient statementsObserved in 2 USDA branded foods including 1 LITER BOTTLE DIET BLACK CHERRY, 1 LITER BOTTLE DIET CREAM.
    • Observed in 2 USDA branded foods including 1 LITER BOTTLE DIET BLACK CHERRY, 1 LITER BOTTLE DIET CREAM.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

  • SCCS

    EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety

    No SCCS opinion on file.

  • CIR

    Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)

    No CIR safety assessment on file.

  • EFSA

    European Food Safety Authority

    • Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in contact with Food (AFC) on a request from the Commission related to a new long-term carcinogenicity study on aspartame (EFSA AFC)

      2006 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of aspartame (E 951) as a food additive (EFSA ANS)

      2013 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Updated opinion on a request from the European Commission related to the 2nd ERF carcinogenicity study on aspartame, taking into consideration study data submitted by the Ramazzini Foundation in February 2009 (EFSA ANS)

      2009 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Statement on two recent scientific articles on the safety of artificial sweeteners (EFSA ANS)

      2011 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Statement of EFSA on the scientific evaluation of two studies related to the safety of artificial sweeteners (EFSA ANS)

      2011 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Opinion on a request from the European Commission related to the 2nd ERF carcinogenicity study on aspartame (EFSA ANS)

      2009 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

  • JECFA

    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives

    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-40 mg/kg bw. Functional class: sweetener.

      Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Aspartame yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

11 data sources

Where this comes from

  • CosIng

    regulatory · updated 2026-09-23

    Open →

  • EFSA OpenFoodTox

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • EPA Chemical and Products Database

    exposure · updated September 2013

    Open →

  • EPA DSSTox Identifiers

    chemistry · updated 2025-12-29

    Open →

  • FDA Inactive Ingredient Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-01-09

    Open →

  • FDA National Drug Code Directory

    regulatory · updated 2029-06-12

    Open →

  • FDA GSRS UNII

    registry · updated 2026-02-26

    Open →

  • WHO JECFA Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • openFDA Substance

    registry · updated 2026-05-24

    Open →

  • PubChem Live Enrichment

    chemistry · updated 2026-05-17

    Open →

  • USDA Branded Foods

    product_occurrence · updated 2026-02-19

    Open →
Reference links (1)
Openfda substance

en.wikipedia.org

Read →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

No fragrance-linked caution surfaced in the current profile.

Good fit

This ingredient does not currently read as a fragrance-linked driver in the published evidence and hazard profile.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Aspartame in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

36

Named organisations

6

Cleaning and safetyFood and drugMedical/dentalPersonal care

Typical roles

FlavouringSweetenerDeodorant
See products using Aspartame →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Aspartame; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 62 →Find products without it →