Food additives data book - wordpres

SOLUBILITY % AT VARIOUS TEMPERATURE/pH COMBINATIONS:
in water: @ 20°C 38% (pH 4.5–6.0 in 0.8% aqueous solution) 1.0g/l
in vegetable oil: Insoluble
in ethanol solution: @ 100% 0.4% at 25°C
FUNCTION IN FOODS: Intense sweetener (160 to 250 times sweetness of sucrose); flavour enhancer, particularly in citrus
drinks
TECHNOLOGY OF USE IN FOODS:
Unstable in aqueous solution. 50% degraded after 36 days. 50–60% degraded at pH 3.5 after 36 days. 100% hydrolysed in pH 7.4 in 9 days. 5-year shelf-life
in tightly closed container with sealed inner bag under cool, dry conditions.
Do not use in canned foods or products which will be baked or roasted. Can be used in acidified liquids and high-acid carbonated beverages. Not soluble in
fats and oils.
Does not act the same as sucrose, so should not be used as a simple substitute; unstable under certain conditions; mixtures result in improved processing
and shelf stability, and producing a balanced taste; blends well with other food flavours; interacts with other flavours differently than does sucrose so should
not be used as a simple sucrose substitute; has flavour-enhancing properties, especially with citrus fruit drinks; overall acceptability of certain carbonated soft
drinks remains high over a range of concentrations.
Can be used in HTST (high-temperature/short time) processes, allowing it to be used in dairy products and baking using this method. Not soluble in fats
and oils. At pH 3.5 after 36 days, 50–60% degraded. At pH 7.4 after 9 days, fully hydrolysed. No browning reaction.
Solubility is adequate for most food applications; solubility increases in acid conditions and with increasing temperatures; sparingly soluble in solvents.
Has a similar taste profile to sucrose (one of the main reasons for its success); relative sweetness 180 at 10% sucrose equivalence, level most often used in
soft drink preparations.
Flavour enhancement with fruit flavours, notably natural flavours. As sole sweetener: 500–600 mg/l appropriate for cola beverages; 400–600 mg/l
appropriate for lemonade beverages.
Degrades in solution: hydrolysis of ester bond produces aspartyl-L-phenylalanine and methanol; at pH 5 and above, degrades to diketopiperazine (DKP)
and methanol; then DKP hydrolyses to aspartyl-L-phenylalanine which can hydrolyse to aspartic acid and phenylalanine; pH, temperature, moisture and time
dictate rate of decomposition; optimum pH range is 3.0 to 5.0 with maximum stability at pH 4.3.
Minimally affected by UHT aseptic processes; typical losses in the range of 0.5 to 5%.
More stable in ready-to-drink products than in post-mix or fountain syrups due to lower pH in concentrates. As aspartame concentration decreases, relative
sweetness of the product increases; up to 40% can be lost before the product becomes unacceptable.
Stable for several years when properly stored in dry form, so ideal for powdered soft drinks; research into making aspartame more stable has resulted in
several patents, most involving co-drying with acidulants and/or bulking agents or encapsulating the product. None is applicable to liquid situations.
Aspartame 915