Re‐evaluation of salt of aspartame‐acesulfame (E 962) as food additive

The present opinion deals with the re-evaluation of salt of aspartame-acesulfame (E 962) as a food additive. The Panel considered that upon ingestion, E 962 dissociates into aspartame and acesulfame ions which correspond to those of the authorised sweeteners aspartame (E 951) and acesulfame K (E 950). The Panel therefore assessed the safety of E 962 by a separate assessment of E 950 and E 951. The Panel considered that the 2025 EFSA re-evaluation of E 950 in which an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 15 mg/kg bw per day was established, was sufficiently recent for the assessment of E 962. Exposure to E950 resulting from the use of both E 950 and E 962 was generally below the ADI in all population groups. For E 951, an update of the exposure and toxicological assessments of the 2013 EFSA re-evaluation of aspartame was performed. For E 951 or its main degradation product 5-benzyl-3,6-dioxo-2-piperazine acetic acid (DKP), no concerns for genotoxicity were identified. Based on the synthesis of systematically appraised evidence of human and animal studies, for E 951 the Panel concluded that there are no new studies suitable for identification of a reference point (RP). Consequently, the Panel confirmed the ADI of 40 mg/kg bw per day previously established by the EFSA ANS Panel. Dietary exposure to E 951 from the use of both E 951 and E 962 did not exceed the ADI. Therefore, the Panel concluded that there is no safety concern at the reported uses and use levels for E 950, E 951 and E 962. The Panel recommended updating the EU specifications for E 962 to ensure that it is produced from E 950 and E 951 that comply with their respective specifications and reviewing the limits for arsenic and lead in the specifications for E 951.