Acesulfame K
The short version
A heat-stable, calorie-free sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sucrose — frequently blended with aspartame or sucralose.
It's permitted and generally considered safe, but there are a few reasons to be mindful — like sensitivities in some people, debated studies, or intake limits. The Safety section below explains the specifics.
Safety profile
ADI of 15 mg/kg body weight per day, set by EFSA in 2025 (replacing the 9 mg/kg set by the SCF in 2000) and by JECFA in 1990. Not metabolized by humans — excreted unchanged in urine. EFSA completed its re-evaluation in 2025 and found that the highest estimated exposure in the EU was generally below the ADI in all population groups, indicating no safety concern. Some studies suggest possible effects on gut microbiota at high doses.
Sources
- EFSA — Re-evaluation of acesulfame K (E 950) as food additive, plain-language summary (30 April 2025; EFSA Journal 2025;23(4):9317) — European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), 2025. New EFSA ADI of 15 mg/kg bw (replacing SCF 9 mg/kg); no safety concern
- WHO JECFA database — Acesulfame potassium (INS 950), evaluation 1990 (37th meeting) — WHO / Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 1990. JECFA ADI 0–15 mg/kg bw
- 21 CFR 172.800 — Acesulfame potassium, eCFR current as of 2026-10-13 — U.S. eCFR (Office of the Federal Register / GPO), 2026. US authorisation as general-purpose sweetener
- FDA — Aspartame and Other Sweeteners in Food (content current as of 27 Feb 2025) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2025. US approval history (1988, 2003)
Checked against these sources on .
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