Is Aspartame safe in cosmetics?
Aspartame has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Aspartame
Also known as: 3-Amino-N-(alpha-carboxyphenethyl)succinamic acid N-methyl ester, stereoisomer, 3-Amino-N-(alpha-methoxycarbonylphenethyl) succinamic acid, Aspartame, L,L-alpha-, N-L-alpha-Aspartyl-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, EINECS 245-261-3 (+14 more)
INCI: ASPARTAME
Aspartame (CAS 22839-47-0) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Flavouring used in oral care cosmetics such as toothpaste and mouthwash. NOAEL 2000 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 22839-47-0 →
Function
Flavouring used in oral care cosmetics such as toothpaste and mouthwash
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
FDA-approved as food additive; not specifically restricted for cosmetic use
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Aspartame.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
10 study endpoints found for Aspartame. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =50 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | Chronic toxicity | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =50 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | Chronic toxicity | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =119 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Human; Rat | Subchronic toxicity | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =119 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Human; Rat | Subchronic toxicity | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =220 mg/kg bw/day | - | - | Toxicology study | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =220 mg/kg bw/day | - | - | Toxicology study | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg bw/day | - | - | Toxicology study | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg bw/day | - | - | Toxicology study | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =4000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | Toxicology study | WHO/JECFA |
| NOAEL | =4000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | Toxicology study | WHO/JECFA |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Aspartame across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
4 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI | <=40 mg/kg | Human | oral | - | WHO/JECFA |
| NOEL | =2000 mg/kg-day | Mouse | oral | acute | ECOTOX |
| LD50 | >10000 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | >10000 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
IARC Carcinogenicity
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) monograph evaluation.
IARC Group
2B
Volume
134
Evaluation Year
2023
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Deodorizer
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Aspartame — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Aspartame by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
66
Lowest NOAEL
25
Highest NOAEL
5700
Units vary across source rows: mg/kg bw/day, mg/kg bw
WHO/JECFA
WHO/JECFA
Known Synonyms
3-Amino-N-(alpha-carboxyphenethyl)succinamic acid N-methyl ester, stereoisomer
3-Amino-N-(alpha-methoxycarbonylphenethyl) succinamic acid
Aspartame, L,L-alpha-
N-L-alpha-Aspartyl-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester
EINECS 245-261-3
Methyl L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalanate
Methyl N-L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalaninate
Methyl L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine
1-Methyl N-L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine
Tri-sweet
Aspartamum
UNII-Z0H242BBR1
(3S)-3-amino-3-{[(2S)-1-methoxy-1-oxo-3-phenylpropan-2-yl]carbamoyl}propanoic acid
1-methyl N-L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalanate
3-Amino-N-(alpha-carboxyphenethyl)succinamic acid N-methyl ester
Asp-phe-ome
E 951
L-Aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester
Sweet dipeptide
Chemical Function
Flavouring and nutrient
Deodorizer
Regulatory Lists
pharmaceutical
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
ASPARTAME
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL171679
Max Phase
3
Adverse Event Associations
3
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Aspartame (encapsulated/coated)
ADI
40 mg/kg bw
Food Category
sweetener
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aspartame allowed in the EU?
Aspartame EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Aspartame do in cosmetics?
Aspartame functions as: Flavouring used in oral care cosmetics such as toothpaste and mouthwash. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 22839-47-0.
What is the NOAEL for Aspartame?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Aspartame is =50 mg/kg bw/day based on a Chronic toxicity study via oral route in Rat. A total of 10 study endpoints are available. Source: WHO/JECFA.
Is Aspartame used outside cosmetics?
Aspartame also appears in pharmaceutical and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Aspartame compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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