Ingredient Index · E950

Is Acesulfame Potassium banned in Europe?

Legal in both

No: acesulfame potassium (E950) is approved in both the EU and the US and is treated almost identically in each, including the same kind of per-category maximum levels.

E-number: E950CAS: 55589-62-3 Also seen as: Ace-K, Acesulfame K, Sunett, Sweet One, E950

What the EU does

Authorized, not banned. Acesulfame potassium is permitted across the EU as additive E950 under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, with maximum levels set per food category in the standard way for sweeteners. EFSA has reviewed it and set an acceptable daily intake of 9 mg per kilogram of body weight.

It is one of the most common sweeteners in EU diet drinks, frequently paired with aspartame because the blend tastes closer to sugar than either sweetener alone. Nothing about the EU treatment is unusual or restrictive relative to other authorized sweeteners.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (E950); EFSA ADI 9 mg/kg bw/day

What the US does

Equally permitted. The FDA approved acesulfame potassium for general use in 2003, building on earlier specific approvals, under 21 CFR 172.800. No consumer warning is required, and it appears throughout the US diet-beverage and sugar-free aisle.

This is one of the cleaner "no gap" entries on the site. Ace-K is treated nearly the same way in both jurisdictions: approved, capped by category, no special label. If you have seen it on a "banned in Europe" list, that list is wrong.

Citation 21 CFR 172.800 (acesulfame potassium); FDA general-use approval, 2003

Products that commonly contain it

Acesulfame potassium is a zero-calorie sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar. Common uses:

Diet Coke, Coke Zero, and other zero-sugar sodas
Sugar-free gum and mints
Low-calorie and "light" ice cream and yogurt
Protein powders and sugar-free drink mixes

What to look for on a label

Watch for these names, which all mean the same thing:

"Acesulfame potassium" or "acesulfame K" in the ingredient list
"Ace-K", the common shorthand
"Sunett" or "Sweet One", brand names
"E950" on EU-labeled products; often listed right beside aspartame or sucralose

Or skip the squinting: paste the whole ingredient list into our checker and it flags everything in our database. Nothing you paste leaves your browser.

Frequently asked questions

Is acesulfame potassium banned in Europe?

No. It is authorized as additive E950 under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, with maximum levels per food category. EFSA sets an acceptable daily intake of 9 mg/kg.

What is Ace-K?

Ace-K is the shorthand for acesulfame potassium, a zero-calorie sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar, sold under brand names like Sunett and Sweet One.

Why is acesulfame potassium combined with aspartame?

The blend tastes more like sugar than either sweetener on its own, and it helps mask the aftertaste each can have alone. That is why diet sodas often list both.

Is acesulfame potassium legal in the United States?

Yes. The FDA approved it for general use in 2003 under 21 CFR 172.800, with no consumer warning required.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 15, 2026 · How we assign statuses