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Acesulfame potassium
IUPAC name	potassium 6-methyl-2,2-dioxo-oxathiazin-4-olate
Other names	Acesulfame K Ace K
Identifiers
CAS number	55589-62-3
PubChem	198606
EINECS number	259-715-3
SMILES	[K+].CC1=CC(=NS(=O)(=O)O1)[O-]
Properties
Molecular formula	C4H4KNO4S
Molar mass	201.242
Appearance	white crystalline powder
Density	1.81
Melting point	225°C
Solubility in water	270 g/L at 20°C
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Acesulfame potassium is a calorie-free artificial sweetener, also known as Acesulfame K or Ace K (K being the symbol for potassium), and marketed under the trade names Sunett and Sweet One. In the European Union it is also known under the E number (additive code) E950. It was discovered accidentally in 1967 by German chemist Karl Clauss at Hoechst AG (now Nutrinova).^[1] Chemically, acesulfame potassium is the potassium salt of 6-methyl-1,2,3- oxathiazine-4(3H)-one 2,2-dioxide. It is a white crystalline powder with molecular formula C₄H₄KNO₄S and a molecular weight of 201.24.^[2]

Acesulfame K is 180-200 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar), as sweet as aspartame, about half as sweet as saccharin, and one-quarter the sweetness of sucralose. Like saccharin, it has a slightly bitter aftertaste, especially at high concentrations. Kraft Foods has patented the use of sodium ferulate to mask acesulfame's aftertaste.^[3] Alternatively, acesulfame K is often blended with other sweeteners (usually sucralose or aspartame). These blends are reputed to give a more sugar-like taste where each sweetener masks the other's aftertaste, and/or exhibit a synergistic effect wherein the blend is sweeter than its components.

Unlike aspartame, acesulfame K is stable under heat, even under moderately acidic or basic conditions, allowing it to be used in baking, or in products that require a long shelf life. In carbonated drinks it is almost always used in conjunction with another sweetener, such as aspartame or sucralose.

As with sucralose, aspartame, stevia, saccharin, xylitol and other sweeteners that are sweeter than common sugars, there is concern over the safety of acesulfame potassium. Although studies of these sweeteners show varying and controversial degrees of healthfulness, the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has approved these for use as general purpose sweetening agents, with the exception of stevia which is restricted to "dietary supplement" labeling. Japan, for instance, has approved stevia as a general purpose sweetener and it is found in many products. Other sweeteners that are banned in the USA are used in other countries, such as cyclamate, and vice-versa. Critics of the use of acesulfame potassium say the chemical has not been studied adequately and may be carcinogenic, although these claims have been dismissed by the USFDA^[4] and by equivalent authorities in the European Union.^[5]

1. ^ Clauß K., Jensen H. (1973). "Oxathiazinone Dioxides - A New Group of Sweetening Agents". Angewandte Chemie International Edition 12 (11): 869-876. doi:10.1002/anie.197308691. 
2. ^ David J. Ager, David P. Pantaleone, Scott A. Henderson, Alan R. Katritzky, Indra Prakash, D. Eric Walters (1998). "Commercial, Synthetic Nonnutritive Sweeteners" (PDF). Angewandte Chemie International Edition 37 (13-24): 1802-1817. doi:<1802::AID-ANIE1802>3.0.CO;2-9 10.1002/(SICI)1521-3773(19980803)37:13/14<1802::AID-ANIE1802>3.0.CO;2-9. 
3. ^ United States Patent 5,336,513
4. ^ Kroger M, Meister K, Kava R (April 2006). "Low-calorie Sweeteners and Other Sugar Substitutes: A Review of the Safety Issues". Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety 5 (2): 35–47. doi:10.1111/j.1541-4337.2006.tb00081.x. 
5. ^ http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out52_en.pdf

• Soft drink
• Sweeteners

• Official Nutrinova Sunett brand sweetener site
• Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives evaluation monograph of Acesulfame Potassium
• FDA approval of Acesulfame Potassium
• FDA approval of Acesulfame Potassium as a General Purpose Sweetener in Food
• International Food Information Council article (IFIC) Foundation Everything You Need to Know About Acesulfame Potassium
• Whole Foods Market Health Info Acesulfame K
• Elmhurst College, Illinois Virtual ChemBook Acesulfame K
• Center for Science in the Public Interest article "Sample Quotes from Cancer Experts' Letters on Acesulfame Testing"