What is E962?

Complete guide to understanding E962 (Aspartame-Acesulfame Salt) in your food

The Quick Answer

E962 is a synthetic combination sweetener made from aspartame and acesulfame potassium bonded together as a single salt.

It’s used in soft drinks, diet products, and sugar-free confectionery as a zero-calorie sweetener.

It is currently undergoing EFSA re-evaluation due to emerging health concerns about aspartame (carcinogenicity) and acesulfame-K (genotoxicity), with new data on potential cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological risks prompting regulatory scrutiny that could result in restrictions or reduced acceptable intake limits.

What Exactly Is It?

E962 is a chemical salt created by combining aspartame and acesulfame potassium in a 2:1 ratio, then crystallizing them together as a single compound called “aspartame-acesulfame salt” or “Twinsweet”.

Its chemical formula is C₁₈H₂₃N₃O₉S.

Production involves dissolving a 2:1 mixture of aspartame and acesulfame potassium in an acidic solution and allowing them to crystallize together. Moisture and potassium are removed during purification, resulting in a white to off-white crystalline powder.

E962 was invented in 1995 by Dr. John Fry while working for The Holland Sweetener Company (HSC). It was approved for EU use in 2003 (Directive 2003/115/EC). The rights are now owned by The NutraSweet Company.

Key functional property: The combination of aspartame (dipeptide methyl ester) and acesulfame-K (sulfamoylbenzoate) produces synergistic sweetness greater than either alone, achieving ~350× sweetness of sugar.

Upon ingestion, E962 rapidly dissolves and dissociates into its two component sweeteners: aspartame (which metabolizes to phenylalanine 50%, aspartic acid 40%, methanol 10%) and acesulfame-K (which is largely absorbed unchanged).

Where You’ll Find It

E962 appears in sugar-free and diet products:

• Diet soft drinks and colas
• Sugar-free beverages
• Sugar-free confectionery and candies
• Chewing gum
• Dairy products (yogurt, pudding, desserts)
• Low-calorie foods
• Sugar-free baked goods
• Diet/weight-management products
• Tabletop sweeteners

E962 is less commonly found than aspartame (E951) alone, primarily used in products seeking the synergistic sweetness advantage over single sweeteners.

Why Do Food Companies Use It?

E962 serves specific functional advantages:

Synergistic sweetness: The combination of aspartame and acesulfame-K produces sweetness greater than the sum of parts, achieving ~350× sugar sweetness with smaller doses of each component.
Reduced off-flavors: By using lower doses of each sweetener (instead of higher single-sweetener doses), E962 reduces metallic, bitter, or licorice-like aftertastes.
Mask synergy: Aspartame and acesulfame-K have complementary taste profiles; together they mask each other’s off-flavors.
Heat stability trade-off: While aspartame is heat-labile, acesulfame-K is heat-stable, creating a product with better stability than aspartame alone.
Regulatory approval (historical): Approved since 2003 in EU with long track record, though now under re-evaluation.

Is It Safe?

E962 is currently approved but is undergoing comprehensive EFSA re-evaluation (2017–ongoing) due to emerging health concerns about both component sweeteners (aspartame carcinogenicity, acesulfame-K genotoxicity) and potential cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological risks—making the current safety status uncertain pending final EFSA decision.

What Are The Health Concerns?

E962 inherits all health concerns from its two component sweeteners:

From Aspartame (E951) Component:

• Carcinogenicity: 2023 IARC Group 2B classification (“possibly carcinogenic to humans”) on basis of limited human evidence for hepatocellular carcinoma and increased cancer risk in observational studies; sufficient animal evidence of carcinogenicity
• Neurotoxicity: Emerging research (2023–2024) reports potential neurotoxic effects, ischemic stroke risk, and altered brain function; aspartame metabolizes to excitatory amino acids (aspartic acid)
• Phenylalanine concerns: Generates phenylalanine on metabolism (50% of aspartame); requires PKU warning labels; may affect dopamine and neurotransmitter balance
• Methanol metabolite: Aspartame generates methanol (10% of molecule) which converts to formaldehyde; while regulatory agencies minimize this concern citing natural dietary methanol, independent researchers note formaldehyde accumulation concerns

From Acesulfame-K (E950) Component:

• Genotoxicity: EFSA identified need for additional genotoxicity (DNA damage) testing; some studies suggest potential for chromosome damage
• Metabolism concerns: Acesulfame-K is largely not metabolized and excreted unchanged; long-term accumulation potential in body/environment unknown
• Organ effects: Animal studies at high doses show potential liver and kidney effects (though at levels far above food exposure)

Combination Concerns:

• Synergistic toxicity potential: Limited research on safety of combined aspartame + acesulfame-K at the same consumption; if either component is harmful, combination exposure increases total risk
• Microbiome disruption: Both aspartame and acesulfame-K may alter gut bacteria; combined effect unknown
• Cardiovascular risk: Recent studies suggest sweetener consumption (aspartame particularly) linked to increased stroke and heart attack risk

Natural vs Synthetic Version

E962 is entirely synthetic—there is no natural form.

It’s produced by chemical synthesis combining two artificial sweeteners.

Natural Alternatives

Want to avoid E962?

Alternative sweeteners include:

• Stevia (E960) – natural extract, 300–500× sweet as sugar
• Monk fruit – natural, 150–200× sweet as sugar
• Xylitol (E967) – sugar alcohol, lower calorie
• Erythritol – sugar alcohol, lower calorie (also under cardiovascular scrutiny)
• Regular sugar – accept calories and glycemic impact
• Honey/maple syrup – natural alternatives with trace nutrients

The Bottom Line

E962 (Aspartame-Acesulfame Salt) is a synthetic combination sweetener made from aspartame and acesulfame potassium that is currently approved in EU but is undergoing comprehensive EFSA re-evaluation (2017–ongoing) due to emerging health concerns about both components (aspartame carcinogenicity, acesulfame-K genotoxicity) and emerging evidence of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological risks—making its future regulatory status and safety assessment highly uncertain.

Regulatory Status Shift: From “approved and generally safe” to “under re-evaluation for potential health risks.” EFSA has identified genotoxicity as a specific data gap requiring additional research.

Component Concerns Are Serious: 2023 IARC Group 2B carcinogenicity classification for aspartame, plus emerging neurotoxicity and cardiovascular research, suggests regulatory scrutiny is scientifically justified.

Why Still Approved? Re-evaluation processes are slow; E962 remains approved pending EFSA final decision, but this should be interpreted as “not yet re-approved” rather than “confirmed safe.”

Likely Outcome: Final EFSA opinion (expected 2025–2026) will likely result in either: reduced ADI limits, additional restrictions, warning labels, or removal from approval.

If You Want to Minimize Exposure: Avoid E962-containing products, particularly diet soft drinks and sweetened beverages. Choose natural sweeteners (stevia, monk fruit) or accept calories from regular sugar or fruit.

For Pregnant Women, Children, and Sensitive Populations: Given emerging neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity concerns, minimizing E962 (and aspartame/acesulfame-K) consumption is prudent until EFSA re-evaluation is complete.

Important Context: E962 is a perfect example of regulatory lag—a food additive approved on historical safety data that is now being re-evaluated in light of newer research raising serious health questions. This is normal regulatory process, but it highlights that “approved by FDA/EFSA” should not be interpreted as absolute safety guarantee.