Does nutrasweet break down into poison?!
I read that nutrasweet breaks down into poison when baked above 98 degrees fareinheit!. Is this true!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
Nope!. So many false rumors, so little time!. Nutrasweet is also called aspartame!. That's because it's made up of two simple amino acids!. The amino acids are aspartic acid and phenylalanine!. These amino acids along with several others make protein!. They are essential!. That is they cannot be manufactured by the human body!. When aspartame undergoes hydrolysis (breakdown) it forms those two compounds!. So you can easily see it is harmless!.
NOW for the fun part!. A very small percentage of babies when they are born have a very rare disease call PKU (phenoketouria) in which they lack an enzyme to breakdown phenylalanine!. If a baby is born with this disease the parents are informed and the baby is put on a diet that contain only limited amounts of phenylalanine for growth!.
This is where the rumor comes from!. On the package of any food made with aspartame you will see a warning aimed at PKU so people will know not to eat it if they are in danger!.
I know this was a long explanation but it's a little complected!. Hope this helps!.
PhD Food Chemistry and NutritionWww@FoodAQ@Com
NOW for the fun part!. A very small percentage of babies when they are born have a very rare disease call PKU (phenoketouria) in which they lack an enzyme to breakdown phenylalanine!. If a baby is born with this disease the parents are informed and the baby is put on a diet that contain only limited amounts of phenylalanine for growth!.
This is where the rumor comes from!. On the package of any food made with aspartame you will see a warning aimed at PKU so people will know not to eat it if they are in danger!.
I know this was a long explanation but it's a little complected!. Hope this helps!.
PhD Food Chemistry and NutritionWww@FoodAQ@Com
As I understand NutraSweet contains Aspartame!. See: http://www!.nutrasweet!.com/articles/categ!.!.!.
As I also understand there is a big controversy about Aspertame being safe for some people!. See: http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Aspartame_c!.!.!.
You might also search "asrartame" and find many more articles!. !.!.!.Good Luck!.!.!.
Additional information: The following paragaph came from this Aspartame sites: http://www!.mercola!.com/article/aspartame!.!.!.
"The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested!. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade)!. This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e!.g!., as part of a "food" product such as Jello)!."
Other sites attest to Aspartames safety!. Who can you believe!?!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
As I also understand there is a big controversy about Aspertame being safe for some people!. See: http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Aspartame_c!.!.!.
You might also search "asrartame" and find many more articles!. !.!.!.Good Luck!.!.!.
Additional information: The following paragaph came from this Aspartame sites: http://www!.mercola!.com/article/aspartame!.!.!.
"The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested!. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade)!. This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e!.g!., as part of a "food" product such as Jello)!."
Other sites attest to Aspartames safety!. Who can you believe!?!?Www@FoodAQ@Com