Lab Ace K I sweetener Essay Example

Lab: Ace K I sweetener Essay 1. Select a sweetener: Ace K I chose this particular sweetener because I have never heard of it until now and it sparked my interest. 2. Explore the history of the sweetener (when it was developed, its composition). Ace K is short for Acesulfame Potassium, or sometimes just Acesulfame K. It is also often called by the names: Sunett, Sweet One, and Sweet n Safe. Ace K was discovered by Hoechst scientists in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1967. It is a calorie-free sweetener that is used and approved in approximately ninety countries around the world. Nearly one-hundred studies have been conducted on the safety of Ace K in the past thirty to forty years. From those studies it has been proved that Ace K is safe and suitable for human consumption. This sweetener has been used in food and beverages since 1983. It is 150-200 times sweeter than sugar, as it is a highly stable, crystalline sweetener with a chemical structure similar to saccharin. Its chemical makeup consists of a process that involves the transformation of an organic intermediate, acetoacetic acid, and its combination with potassium. Ace K is found in many different food and snacks we know and love such as chewing gum, dry beverage mixes, dry dessert mixes, dry dairy analog bases, tabletop sweeteners, confections, soft candy, hard candy (including breath mints, cough drops and lozenges), baked goods, dairy products, carbonated beverages and alcoholic beverages. 3. Discuss safety and the sweetener you have selected. Ace K is safe and suitable for all segments of the population. We will write a custom essay sample on Lab: Ace K I sweetener specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Lab: Ace K I sweetener specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Lab: Ace K I sweetener specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The FDA, which is the governmental agency responsible for ensuring the safety of all foods, has approved it for use in many food products on eight separate occasions since 1988. The agency based its decisions on a large body of scientific evidence that demonstrates the safety of the ingredient. The FDA has approved its use in pregnant women and The American Diabetes Association has said that non-nutritive sweeteners approved by the FDA are safe to consume by people with diabetes. Studies have also shown that the use of Ace K does not contribute to tooth decay. Products sweetened with Ace K do not carry any warning labels as it does not have any effects that consumers need to be warned about. Concerning Ace K, the FDA has set an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of up to 15 mg/kg of body weight/day. 4. Examine the relationship between the sweetener you have selected and obesity. Obesity and low calorie sweeteners are a popular combination to be discussed. People with extra weight should consider using the artificial sweetener Ace k, as it has a very little amount of calories and carbohydrate. Because Ace K is so sweet, less is needed to sweeten foods and fewer calories are added. So far, there is no proof that Ace K increases the appetite and causes weight gain. Studies show that Ace K is not metabolized or broken down in the body but is excreted unchanged. This means that the consumption of foods sweetened with Ace K does not cause an increase in insulin or a resulting drop in blood sugar level, which could trigger hunger pangs. There are also no known complaints from consumers that the consumption of foods containing Ace K has resulted in an increase in appetite.