Ajinomoto Brings New Aspartame Capacity on Stream

A new production line located at the Ajinomoto facility in the city of Yokkaichi, Japan, begins commercial production this month.

21/04/06 Ajinomoto has completed the current stage of expansion of the company's aspartame manufacturing capacity. A new production line located at the Ajinomoto facility in the city of Yokkaichi, Japan, begins commercial production this month. Together with the aspartame plant in Gravelines, France, the new capacity makes Ajinomoto the world's largest producer of aspartame.

Aspartame is an amino acid based low calorie sweetener used in a broad range of products, including soft drinks, yogurts, chilled dairy desserts, confectionery and table top sweeteners. The two amino acids in aspartame are found in a wide variety of everyday foods.

According to Ajinomoto, rising concern about overweight and obesity around the globe is expected to continue to drive growth of low calorie foods and drinks. Ajinomoto write that aspartame has an excellent taste and the new production facility places Ajinomoto in the best position to supply increasing demand from the world's leading food and drink makers.

In addition to the capacity expansion, Ajinomoto is investing in a new, patented production process, which will enhance manufacturing efficiencies.

Earlier this month a major new epidemiology study from the United States National Cancer Institute confirms previous study conclusions that there is no link between aspartame consumption and leukemias, lymphomas and brain tumors. The study, presented at the American Association of Cancer Research meeting in Washington, D.C. evaluated over 500,000 men and women between the ages of 50 and 69 over a five-year period. The researchers found that there was no evidence of an increased risk of leukemias, lymphomas and brain tumours among people who use aspartame.

A the end of March Holland Sweetener Company the 50/50 joint venture between Royal DSM N.V. (the Netherlands) and Tosoh Corporation (Japan) announced that it would withdraw from the aspartame business, including Twinsweet. DSM reported that HSC will terminate its activities at the end of 2006 and as a consequence will discontinue the production of aspartame in the fourth quarter of 2006.