Effect of the temperature and pH on methanol release in coffee brew sweetened with aspartame

Portari, G.V. and Mathias, M.G.M. and Almeida, B.B. and Marchini, J.S. and Jordao, A.A. (2009) Effect of the temperature and pH on methanol release in coffee brew sweetened with aspartame. Acta Alimentaria, 38 (3). pp. 303-307. ISSN 0139-3006

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Abstract

Methanol is an alcohol which is metabolized to folmaldehyde in humans. It is a very toxic substance, responsible for blindness in cases of methanol intoxication. This study shows the production of methanol when aspartame is used to sweeten coffee brew. The temperature versus pH binomium was also tested. When assayed at 90 °C coffee brew+aspartame and aspartame solution showed an increase in methanol release of 17.8 and 19.3%, respectively, as compared with coffee brew. At 180 °C, the increase was 32.5 and 26.3%, respectively. Our data revealed a protective effect of the pH of coffee on the degradation of aspartame and formation of methanol; an important fact, mainly for specific populations that use aspartame, like diabetics.

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