ABSTRACT
The safety assessment of any food additive requires a knowledge of the pharmacology and toxicology of the additive and information regarding exposure. Population exposure is generally difficult to determine for a new compound and cannot be accurately established before its introduction. Using the 180:1 ratio of aspartame sweetness to sucrose sweetness, total substitution would result in a daily intake 1056 mg of aspartame. The metabolism of aspartame yields, on a weight basis, approximately 50% phenylalanine, 40% aspartic acid, and 10% methanol. Using the menu approach and the typical aspartame level for each food, the estimated intake of aspartame would result in 10 and 4% increased intakes of phenylalanine and aspartic acid, respectively, and an added methanol exposure of 75 mg. Household measure equivalents were determined for the foods from the 44 groups using weights and measures from the US Department of Agriculture.
