Procjena sigurnosti unosa aspartama u odnosu na prihvatljivi dnevni unos

From its discovery in 1965 till today, aspartame has caused numerous dilemmas and its descriptions vary from ideal sweetener to dangerous and poisonous substance that is being used for food production. Aspartame, (L-α-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-1-methyl ester) was authorized by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in 1981, when its ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) was defined. Aspartame is unique intensive sweetener that is nowadays used in production of many kinds of food, and in digestive tract it is broken down by esterases and peptidases into aspartic acid, phenylalanine and small amount of methanol. Impact of aspartame on human health has been widely investigated during last few decades, whereat two opposite opinions were represented: one arguing in favor of its toxicity and carcinogenicity, and the other (primarily expressed by food industry, i.e. sweetener industry) trying to prove complete absence of aspartame toxicity if used in approved doses. The aim of this work was to perform aspartame risk assessment on the national level. The two-phase method for data collection was used in order to carry out this risk assessment,. It included survey on consumer habits concerning consumption of foods containing non-nutritive sweeteners, and chemical analysis of foods that contain aspartame. The results of the questionnaire,on consumption of aspartame containing foods, assumed and determined amounts of additives in tested foods, were presented based on calculations of the acceptable daily intakes using five different approaches in assessment of aspartame intake: (a) minimalistic for the total population, (b) including only consumers of foods which contain aspartame, (c) based on the evaluation of daily intakes according to the maximum permitted use levels defined by the Ordinance on Food Additives O.G.173/4, (d) combining intake in the population of consumers with maximum permitted use, and (e) combining theoretical intake of foods which contain aspartame with maximum permitted use levels in particular food group. Risk characterization was carried out by comparison of EDI with ADI (EFSA, JECFA, Codex Alimentarius Commission). The determined estimated daily intake is much lower than the acceptable daily intake both for total population, as well as for consumers of aspartame containing foods. The acceptable daily intake was exceeded when theoretical intakes of foods which contain aspartame were combined with maximum permitted use level (EDI teor. / ADI, 107%). The present results were compared to similar reports from the EU and other countries and they were in accordance with the results obtained in developed European countries. Based on the results of this work, it can be undoubtedly concluded that application of aspartame in food production should closely follow the regulations on maximum permitted use levels in foods thus maintaining the intake of the additive, especially in susceptible groups of consumers, within acceptable range.