New sweetener regulations come into force

Wednesday 11 June 2003

New regulations giving a two-year temporary national authorisation to market a new sweetener, ‘salt of aspartame-acesulfame,’ came into force on 27 May 2003.

The salt is a chemical combination of two already permitted sweeteners, aspartame (E951) and acesulfame K (E950) at an equivalent mixture of 1:1.

The new regulations are called The Sweeteners in Food (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003 No. 1182). Parallel regulations have been prepared in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This legislation came into force in Northern Ireland on 2 June. However, due to the recent parliamentary elections, implementation of this legislation in Scotland and Wales has been delayed.

These Regulations are now scheduled to come into force in Scotland on 26 June and in Wales on 25 July.

Copies of the Regulations can be obtained from The Stationery Office (Tel: 0870 6005522).