Acesulfame is suitable for low calories and diet beverages because of its good stability in aqueous solution even at low pH typical of diet soft drinks.
As with all intense sweeteners, sweetness potency of acesulfame K relative to sucrose decreases with increasing concentration and varies with the medium in which the sweetener is being tested and the method used for quantifying sweetness.
The taste profile of acesulfame K is generally considered to be superior to saccharin.
It has a rapid onset time but the sweetness quality is marred by a bitter astringent aftertaste that is particularly noticeable at higher concentrations.
The taste quality of blends with acesulfame K with other sweetness is superior to single sweeteners even at the fairly high sweetens level of these beverages.
When acesulfame K is blended with other sweeteners for beverage use, it may be reasonable to deviate from blend rations which provide the highest synergistic sweetness enhancement.
Especially in blends of acesulfame K and aspartame variation of blend rations allows modifications of the time-intensity profile of sweetness and adaptation to flavour profiles.
High levels of synergisms (30% and above) occur with aspartame and to a lesser extent with cyclamate, glucose, fructose and sucrose.
Acesulfame K containing beverages can be pasteurized under normal pasteurization conditions without loss of sweetness.
Pasteurization for longer periods at lower temperature is possible, as is short-term pasteurization for a few seconds at high temperature.
Application acesulfame K in low calorie beverages
