About this sweetener, all I can do is tell you what it says in a book. It's been approved now and this was copyrighted in 1991: SAFE FOOD by Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D, Lisa Lefferts and Anne Garland, Center for Science in the Public Interest, page 153:

Here is the article:

"Acesulfame K, sold commercially as Sunette or Sweet One, was approved by the FDA in l988 as a sugar substitute in packet or tablet form, in chewing gum, dry mixes for beverages, instant coffee and tea, gelatin desserts, puddings and non dairy creamers. The manufacturer has asked the FDA to approve acesulfame K for soft drinks and baked goods.

The public is waiting for an artificial sweetener that is unquestionably safe. But this one isn't it. Even compared to aspartame and saccharin (which are afflicted with their own safety problems - see below), acesulfame K is the worst. The additive is inadequately tested, the FDA based its approval on tests of acesulfame K that fell short of the FDA's own standards. But even those tests indicate that the additive causes cancer in animals, which means it may increase cancer risk in humans. In l987, CSPI urged the FDA not to approve acesulfame K, but was ignored. After the FDA gave the chemical its blessing, CSPI urged that it be banned. The FDA hasn't yet ruled on that request."

Now I'm quoting a book, and while its obviously bad news I do believe aspartame is worse because its an outright poison that caused all kinds of cancer and violated the Delaney Amendment that forbids adding additives that you know will cause cancer. But now H.R. 3200 would ban the Delaney Amendment and gut food safety laws. And if you're looking to the Fatal Drugs Allowed folks, the FDA, for safety forget it. The Community Nutrition Institute tried in l986 to ban aspartame because people were going blind from it. The FDA didn't care then and doesn't care now as swamped with complaints they just approved aspartame in all food and drinks.

I did talk to a doctor at the company that makes Acesulfame K. Return to Eden, an organic market asked me about this product and I faxed them the page from the book and they withdrew the product. In losing the account they called me to try and convince me to get Return to Eden to use their product again. I kid you not, this is what the good doctor said: "Mrs. Martini, we know that aspartame produced brain tumors, other cancers and seizures, but acesulfame K is okay, it only produced mammary tumors."

I said: "Doctor, thank you but no thank you. We don't want breast cancer either." He hung up!

Dr. H. J. Roberts, endocrinologist, also wrote about this product in his book ASPARTAME (NUTRASWEET) IS IT SAFE? Charles Press, Philadelphia, Page 283. Here's what he said:

"Acesulfame potassium (or acesulfame K) was approved for use by the FDA as a safe artificial sweetener in July 1988. It is a derivative of acetoacetic acid. Unfortunately, several potential problems associated with the use of acesulfame have been raised. They are based largely on animal studies since testing on humans remains limited.

• It stimulates insulin secretion in a dose-dependent fashion, thereby possibly aggravating reactive hypoglycemia ("low blood sugar attacks").
• It apparently produced lung tumors, breast tumors, rare types of tumors in other organs (such as the thymus gland), several forms of leukemia, and chronic respiratory disease in several rodent studies, even when less-than-maximum doses were given. Accordingly, the Center for Science in the Public Interest formally petitioned on August 29, 1988 for a stay of its approval by the FDA on August 29, 1988 because of "significant doubt" about the safety of acesulfame potassium."

Ah ha - the good doctor didn't tell the whole story. No wonder he wouldn't send me the results of the studies I asked for.

Who can you believe or trust? Obviously, not the FDA.

-Author Unknown