Ingredients
Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K)
Used in Thousands of Products
Acesulfame potassium (also known as Ace-K) is a high-intensity, non-caloric sweetener. It is approximately 200 times sweeter than sucrose (sugar). Ace-K has a clean, quickly perceptible, sweet taste that does not linger or leave an aftertaste. Ace-K is not metabolized by the body and is excreted unchanged.
Ace-K is currently used in thousands of foods, beverages, and oral hygiene and pharmaceutical products in about 90 countries. Among these are tabletop sweeteners, desserts, puddings, jams, baked goods, soft drinks, candies, and canned foods.
Benefits of Ace-K
Helps Reduce Calories
Ace-K is not metabolized in the body, substituting it for sugar in foods and beverages can reduce caloric intake substantially.
Remains Stable Under High Temperatures
Ace-K is heat stable under high temperatures. The sweet taste of Ace-K remains unchanged during baking. Even at oven temperatures over 200ºC, or about 400°F, Ace-K shows no indications of breaking down or losing its sweet taste. Beverages containing Ace-K also can be pasteurized under normal pasteurizing conditions without loss of sweetness.
Sweet, Clean Taste
With a clean, sweet taste, Ace-K generally does not exhibit any off-taste in foods and soft drinks.
Does Not Promote Tooth Decay
Ace-K does not promote tooth decay or contribute to dental caries.
Useful in Diabetic Diets
Many use Ace-K as a tool for managing diabetes and body weight, as it has no effect on serum glucose, cholesterol, or triglycerides.
Facts About Ace-K
Origin
Ace-K, a high-intensity, non-caloric sweetener, was discovered in 1967 by Hoechst AG.
Safety
More than 90 studies have demonstrated the safety of Ace-K. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) is safe for its intended use and established an acceptable daily intake of 15 mg per kilogram of body weight. An ADI represents the daily intake limit whereby a substance can be consumed each day with no safety concern. For Ace-K, the 15 mg/kg ADI means that a person weighing 70 kg, or about 155 lbs, could consume over a gram of Ace-K daily without safety concern.
The Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) reviewed the available research on Ace-K and concluded that it is safe. JECFA has also established an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 15 mg/kg of body weight.
In April of 2025, as part of its re-evaluation of ace-k as food additive, EFSA’s Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings set a new Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for ace-K at 15 mg/kg bw/day. This revised ADI replaces the ADI of 9 mg/kg bw per day established by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF).
Regulatory Status
The FDA approved Ace-K for use in liquid non-alcoholic beverages (soft drinks) in 1998. FDA has reaffirmed the safety of Ace-K on nine separate occasions by broadening its approval. General use approval was granted by the FDA in December of 2003. Ace-K is also approved in more than 100 countries, including Japan, Switzerland, Norway, Canada and Australia.
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