FDA Status
Approved
Sweetener · CAS 22839-47-0 · EU E951
Aspartame
FDA status: Approved. EU: Approved. No U.S. state has enacted a specific ban yet.
3.0 / 5
Composite safety Mixed Evidence
Score 3 of 5
Aspartame: 3/5 (Mixed Evidence)
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Aspartame is FDA-approved, and no U.S. state has moved to restrict it independently of federal policy. Its composite safety score is 3 out of 5 (Mixed Evidence), and the European Union separately classifies it as approved. It is a top-10% most widely-used additive.
- 90th percentile by tracked product prevalence
The verdict
Aspartame is FDA-approved, and no U.S. state has moved to restrict it. It is a top-10% most widely-used additive (90th percentile by tracked product count).
- 3/5
- Mixed Evidence
- Approved
- FDA status
- 90th pctile
- by product prevalence
- 0
- state regulations
Aspartame (E951), CAS 22839-47-0, is a sweetener additive holding a composite safety score of 3 out of 5 (Mixed Evidence). According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Substances Added to Food inventory, it is currently classified as Approved, while the European Union lists it as Approved. This ingredient appears in approximately 1,297 tracked food products across our database. It is most commonly used as Diet soda, sugar-free gum, yogurt, tabletop sweeteners.
No U.S. state has enacted specific legislation targeting Aspartame to date, keeping federal FDA classification as the operative standard. State-level food safety legislation remains active nationally, and that picture may shift as new bills advance. Our regulatory timeline records 1 distinct regulatory event spanning multiple jurisdictions, illustrating how oversight has evolved over time.
Peer-reviewed research has flagged 1 distinct area of health concern for Aspartame, which factors directly into the assigned safety score. The European Food Safety Authority has published an evaluation dated 2013-12-10, with an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 40. EFSA has noted an overexposure risk classification of "no" for typical consumption patterns. All figures above draw on FDA SAFFA inventory records, EU food additive regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, EFSA scientific opinions where published, and legislative records from individual U.S. states.
Regulatory Snapshot
| Property | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FDA Status | Approved | FDA SAFFA |
| EU Status | Approved | EC 1333/2008 |
| E-Number | E951 | EU additive register |
| CAS Number | 22839-47-0 | CAS Registry |
| Category | Sweetener | FDA functional class |
| Composite Safety Score | 3 / 5 (Mixed Evidence) | PlainIngredients methodology |
| EFSA ADI | 40 | EFSA scientific opinion |
| U.S. State Actions | 0 states | State legislative records |
| Tracked Products | 1,297 | Open Food Facts (US) |
Values reflect official agency classifications as published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Union's regulatory framework. See our methodology for scoring details.
EU Status
Approved
E951
U.S. State Regulations
0 states
None enacted
Safety Assessment
Aspartame's 3/5 (Mixed Evidence) score reflects where this specific ingredient lands on that scale. The FDA has approved Aspartame for use in food products under specified conditions.
Research has identified 1 area of health concern associated with Aspartame. Consumers with specific health conditions should consult a healthcare provider before consuming products containing this ingredient.
How Aspartame compares
Where a safety score of 3/5 falls among all 4,509 scored ingredients tracked on PlainIngredients.
Ingredients by safety score (Aspartame highlighted)
25 of 4,509 scored ingredients (0.6%) share a safety score of 3/5.
What is Aspartame?
Artificial sweetener 200x sweeter than sugar.
Health Concerns
- WHO/IARC classified as "possibly carcinogenic" (Group 2B) in 2023. FDA maintains it is safe.
Common Uses
Diet soda, sugar-free gum, yogurt, tabletop sweeteners
Regulatory Timeline
2023-07-14 WHO/IARC
Group 2B Classification
IARC classified aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic."
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aspartame safe to consume?
Aspartame has a safety score of 3/5 (Mixed Evidence). It is approved by the FDA for use in food. As with all food additives, moderation is advisable.
What is Aspartame used for in food?
Aspartame is commonly used as: Diet soda, sugar-free gum, yogurt, tabletop sweeteners. It belongs to the Sweetener category of food additives.
Is Aspartame banned in any US states?
Currently, no US states have enacted specific bans or regulations targeting Aspartame. However, state food safety legislation is evolving rapidly.
What is the difference between FDA and EU regulation of Aspartame?
The FDA classifies Aspartame as "Approved", while the EU status is "Approved" (E951). The FDA and EU use separate evaluation frameworks, the EU often applies the precautionary principle, sometimes banning additives that remain approved in the US. Always check both jurisdictions when evaluating food additive safety.
What health concerns are associated with Aspartame?
Research has identified the following health concerns for Aspartame: WHO/IARC classified as "possibly carcinogenic" (Group 2B) in 2023. FDA maintains it is safe.. These findings inform its safety score of 3/5. Consult a healthcare provider for personalized guidance, especially if you have pre-existing conditions.
How is the safety score for Aspartame calculated?
The safety score of 3/5 for Aspartame is a composite assessment based on FDA regulatory status, EU approval status, published scientific research on health effects, and state-level legislative actions. A score of 1 means "Banned / Avoid" and 5 means "Generally Safe." The score is updated as new regulatory actions or scientific evidence emerge.
Data Sources
- FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) Inventory
- EU Food Additive Regulations (EC) No 1333/2008
- State food safety legislation and bill records
Related Sweetener Ingredients
What to do about Aspartame
Use the regulatory picture, not a single score, to decide.
- Check the FDA status (Approved) and EU status (Approved) before assuming it is risk-free. How we score
- Compare it against the most-restricted additives in the U.S. supply. View rankings
- Scan a whole ingredient label at once to flag the concerning entries. Label checker
Safety scores summarise regulatory status and published concerns; they are not medical or dietary advice.
Every figure on PlainIngredients is rendered directly from FDA, EU, EFSA and U.S. state regulatory records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.