Acesulfame potassium
This page explains what Acesulfame potassium is, where it shows up in restaurant food, and which ingredient reports connect to it.
- Concern
- Low / Limited Concern
- Function
- Artificial sweetener
- Updated
- 2026-03-18
What this is
Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K) is a calorie-free artificial sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It’s used in “diet” or sugar-free foods and drinks – for example, in diet sodas, desserts, and chewing gum – to provide sweetness without calories. The FDA approved Ace-K in the late 1980s, and global food safety agencies consider it safe at the low levels people typically consume. Some health experts have questioned its long-term effects, citing studies in animals and humans that hint at cancer or metabolic issues, but overall evidence of harm in people remains limited and inconclusive.
Critical Endpoints
The key endpoints experts review in safety assessments (critical endpoints). This is not a prediction of harm.
Restaurant Usage
3 linked ingredient reports
State Actions
0 current actions
No current state action is listed for this ingredient in the policy tracker.