Coke Zero
Coca-Cola
Vegan, unclearGluten-Free, passesKeto, passes
E951 — Aspartame
Why it’s used
A low-calorie artificial sweetener (about 200x sweeter than sugar) made from two amino acids, used in diet sodas, tabletop sweetener packets, and sugar-free gum. It breaks down under high heat, so it's rarely used in baking. It is one of the most extensively studied food additives; a 2023 WHO/IARC review classified it as 'possibly carcinogenic' based on limited evidence, while food-safety regulators including the FDA and EFSA/JECFA maintain it is safe within established daily intake limits.
Other names
NutraSweet, Equal, Canderel, AminoSweet
Diet flags
Vegan, passesVegetarian, passes
Regulatory status
USA — Allowed
Approved as a food additive under 21 CFR 172.804 (tabletop use approved 1981, general-purpose use approved 1996), with an ADI of 50 mg/kg bw/day. After WHO's IARC classified aspartame as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans' (Group 2B) in July 2023, FDA stated it 'disagrees with IARC's conclusion,' citing 'significant shortcomings' in the studies reviewed, and took no regulatory action. Source (2026-07-23)
EU — Allowed
Authorized as E951 under Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. EFSA's 2013 comprehensive safety review concluded aspartame and its breakdown products are safe at an ADI of 40 mg/kg bw/day. Following IARC's July 2023 classification, JECFA reaffirmed this ADI, finding no convincing evidence of adverse effects at that intake; the European Commission took no new regulatory action. Source (2026-07-23)
Found in these products
4 products in our database contain E951.
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
Coca-Cola
Vegan, unclearGluten-Free, passesKeto, passes
Diet Coke
Coke
Vegan, unclearGluten-Free, passesKeto, passes
Fresca Sparkling Soda Water Grapefruit Citrus
Fresca
Vegan, unclearGluten-Free, passesKeto, passes