Chapter U4.12, Problem 1E

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The evidence that shows aspartame is sweeter than fructose must be explained.

Concept introduction:

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener. It is the methyl ester of a dipeptide made of aspartic acid and phenyl alanine. Fructose is a monosaccharide which is a ketohexose (6 carbons with one keto group).

Explanation of Solution

There is a unit to measure the sweetness of artificial sweeteners. Generally, the sweetness is compared with natural sugar sucrose.

Sucrose is a disaccharide containing glucose and fructose. When sucrose is hydrolyzed, it produces 1 mol glucose and 1 mol fructose. None of glucose and fructose is sweeter than sucrose. Aspartame is almost 200 times sweeter than sucrose. Thus, aspartame is much sweeter than fructose.