Aspartame is a synthetic dipeptide formed by the reaction of L-aspartic acid with L-phenylalanine methyl ester. The true chemical name is N-L-αaspartyl-L-phenylalanine-1 methyl ester. It was first marketed as NutraSweet and Equal and is now freely available in supermarkets.
It is a white crystalline, odorless intensively sweet powder has the molecular formula C14H18N2 O5 along with the molar mass 294.31 g/mol. The density of Aspartame is 1.347 g/cm3 with a high melting point, between 246-247°C. Under strong alkaline and acidic conditions aspartame hydrolyzed.
Aspartame is composed of 57.1% carbon, 6.2% hydrogen, 9.5% nitrogen, and 27.2% oxygen.
Aspartame is stable in the dry state and in frozen products. However, when stored in liquids at more than 30°C, it progressively converts into diketopiperazine, which is partially degraded into methanol, aspartic acid and phenylalanine.
Characteristics of aspartame
