Artificial sweetener
Also known as: Ace-K, Acesulfame K, E950, E 950, Sunett, Sweet One
Calorie-free high-intensity sweetener (~200x sweeter than sugar). EFSA re-evaluated it in 2025 (ADI 15 mg/kg bw/day, no safety concern at EU exposure) and the FDA affirms its safety; some peer-reviewed animal studies report gut-microbiome perturbation and genotoxic/hepatotoxic signals at high doses.
the genotoxic and hepatotoxic potential of Ace-k were confirmed ... The upregulation of P53 in the liver was correlated with increased polyploidization and necro apoptotic reaction.
In rats, the genotoxic and hepatotoxic potential of acesulfame-K was confirmed - a dose-dependent increase in comet-assay tail moment and hepatic P53 upregulation correlated with polyploidization and a necro-apoptotic reaction.
Ace-K consumption perturbed the gut microbiome of CD-1 mice after a 4-week treatment. ... ace-K increased body weight gain of male but not female mice.
In CD-1 mice, four weeks of acesulfame-K consumption perturbed the gut microbiome and increased body-weight gain in males (but not females), with sex-specific shifts in bacterial composition.
The acceptable daily intake (ADI) considered safe for all population groups was set at 15 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day. ... the highest exposure estimate of E 950 was generally below the ADI in all population groups, indicating no safety concern.
EFSA's 2025 re-evaluation of acesulfame K (E 950) set an ADI of 15 mg/kg bw/day, considered safe for all population groups, with the highest EU exposure estimates generally below the ADI - indicating no safety concern.
the agency has concluded that the high-intensity sweeteners approved by FDA are safe for the general population under certain conditions of use.
The FDA has concluded that the high-intensity sweeteners it has approved - including acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) - are safe for the general population under certain conditions of use.
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