E962 - Salt of aspartame-acesulfame

At a glance

• What it is: A defined 1:1 salt of two sweeteners, aspartame and acesulfame.
• What it does: Provides intense sweetness with minimal calories; helps reduce added sugars in foods and drinks.
• Where you’ll see it: Sugar‑free or “no added sugar” beverages, tabletop sweeteners, flavored dairy, and desserts (especially in the EU).
• Also called: Aspartame‑acesulfame salt, E 962.
• Dietary note: Supplies phenylalanine because it contains aspartame; people with phenylketonuria (PKU) should avoid it.
• Regulatory snapshot: Authorized in the European Union (EU) as E962; safety is assessed through the established limits for its two components.

Why is Salt of aspartame-acesulfame added to food?

Food makers use it to deliver sugar‑like sweetness while greatly cutting calories. Combining two sweeteners can round out taste, letting developers use lower amounts than either one alone. This helps match the sweetness profile of sugar in drinks, desserts, and other low‑ or no‑sugar products.

What foods contain Salt of aspartame-acesulfame?

In the EU, E962 is authorized for use in a range of categories, such as soft drinks, table‑top sweeteners, confectionery, and certain dairy and dessert products, according to conditions set in law.¹ You’ll most often find it in sugar‑free beverages, powdered drink mixes, chewing gum, flavored milks and yogurts, gelatin desserts, and table‑top packets or tablets.

What can replace Salt of aspartame-acesulfame?

Depending on the recipe and local rules, formulators might swap in:

• acesulfame K or aspartame alone
• Other high‑intensity sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin, neotame, advantame, or steviol glycosides
• Sugar alcohols such as erythritol, xylitol, or sorbitol to add bulk and body alongside an intense sweetener

How is Salt of aspartame-acesulfame made?

It is produced by combining equimolar amounts of aspartame and acesulfame to form a defined 1:1 crystalline salt. The EU specification describes its identity and purity as a distinct additive separate from its two components.²

Is Salt of aspartame-acesulfame safe to eat?

Regulators assess its safety through the well‑studied components. In the EU, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reaffirmed an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for aspartame of 40 mg/kg body weight per day,³ and an ADI for acesulfame K of 9 mg/kg body weight per day.⁴ In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists ADIs of 50 mg/kg for aspartame and 15 mg/kg for acesulfame K.⁵ When E962 is used within regulatory limits, typical consumer intakes remain within these established ADIs.

ADI means acceptable daily intake—the amount you can consume every day over a lifetime without appreciable health risk.

Does Salt of aspartame-acesulfame have any benefits?

Using high‑intensity sweeteners can help reduce added sugars and calories when they replace sugar in foods and drinks, as part of broader dietary changes.⁶ For product developers, this salt offers a sweet taste with very little weight or volume, which is helpful in beverages and light desserts.

Who should avoid Salt of aspartame-acesulfame?

• People with phenylketonuria (PKU) must avoid phenylalanine, which is a natural breakdown product of aspartame; foods with aspartame in the U.S. carry a “Phenylketonurics: Contains phenylalanine” notice.⁵
• Anyone advised by a healthcare professional to avoid aspartame or acesulfame should also steer clear of E962.

Myths & facts

• Myth: “It’s just a random mix.” Fact: E962 is a defined 1:1 salt with its own identity and specification in EU law.²
• Myth: “It is the same as acesulfame K.” Fact: Acesulfame K is a different additive (the potassium salt of acesulfame). E962 is the aspartame‑acesulfame salt, not acesulfame K.
• Myth: “Regulators found it unsafe.” Fact: EFSA concluded aspartame is safe at its ADI,³ and acesulfame K is safe at its ADI.⁴ E962 is assessed via these components and their established limits.

Salt of aspartame-acesulfame in branded foods

On EU labels, look for “E962” or “aspartame‑acesulfame salt.” It appears in many sugar‑free soft drinks, flavored waters, powdered drink mixes, light yogurts, gelatin desserts, chewing gum, and in tabletop sweeteners. If you’re avoiding phenylalanine, check ingredient lists and any phenylalanine statements before purchase.

References

Footnotes

1. Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives (Annex II) — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1333/oj ↩

2. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩ ↩²

3. Scientific Opinion on the re‑evaluation of aspartame (E 951) as a food additive — EFSA. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/3496 ↩ ↩²

4. Scientific Opinion on the re‑evaluation of acesulfame K (E 950) as a food additive — EFSA. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/1945 ↩ ↩²

5. Additional Information about High‑Intensity Sweeteners Permitted for Use in Food in the United States — FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/additional-information-about-high-intensity-sweeteners-permitted-use-food-united-states ↩ ↩²

6. Low‑ and No‑Calorie Sweeteners — CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/artificial-sweeteners.html ↩