E951 - Aspartame
By the Daat team · Updated October 30, 2026
E951, aspartame, is a low-calorie sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar. Products with it must say "contains a source of phenylalanine".
The phenylalanine warning is for people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic condition in which the body cannot break down that amino acid.
In 2023 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic" (Group 2B), while the WHO/FAO expert committee (JECFA) kept the acceptable daily intake unchanged. Both positions still stand.
In Daat’s catalog we found E951 in 159 of 16,831 products (0.9%), mostly in chocolate and sweets and yoghurts and dairy desserts.
E951 at a glance
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Aspartame |
| Function | Sweetener |
| Origin | Plant, mineral or synthetic |
| Vegan / vegetarian | Yes / Yes |
Is E951 vegan?
Yes. E951 has no animal source, so it suits both vegans and vegetarians.