DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2015/415 ORIGINAL ARTICLE J of Evolution of Med and Dent Sci/ eISSN- 2278-4802, pISSN- 2278-4748/ Vol.4/ Issue 17/ Feb 26, 2015 Page 2875 STUDY OF ASPARTAME ON BIOFILM PRODUCTION Sourabh Mitra 1 , Piyali Datta 2 , Swagnik Roy 3 , Rajat Dasgupta 4 HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Sourabh Mitra, Piyali Datta, Swagnik Roy, Rajat Dasgupta. “Study of Aspartame on Biofilm Production”. Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences 2015; Vol. 4, Issue 17, February 26; Page: 2875-2877, DOI:10.14260/jemds/2015/415 ABSTRACT: Aspartame is an odourless white crystalline powder 160-200 times sweeter than sucrose used in beverages. The present study has been planned to observe the biofilm production of Streptococcus mutans over a biosurface and to assess the influence of aspartame on biofilm production over that surface. The lyophilic standard Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175 (Hi media lab) was reactivated in Trypiticase Soy Broth incubated at37 0 C with 10% CO2 for 18 hrs. 2.5 ml of this liquid culture was added in two 5ml of Brain Heart Infusion Broths with sucrose, congo red and sterile human tooth one with 0.3% aspartame and other without aspartame and incubated at 37 0 C with 10% CO2 for 18 hrs. Biofilm production was evidenced by blackening of tooth along with black deposits .Blackening appeared less in the broth containing aspartame which was further proved by subculturing from both over Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) agar with sucrose and Congo red. KEYWORDS: Aspartame, biofilm, congo red. INTRODUCTION: Aspartame is an odourless white crystalline powder 160-200 times sweeter than sucrose used in beverages. It was discovered accidentally in 1965 by James M Schalater. Aspartame is one of the five low calorie sweetener approved by Food and Drug Administration. The carioprotective property of aspartame is assessed by a standard biofilm producing bacteria like Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175. Aspartame is a methylester of the aspartic acid and /phenylalaninedipeptide. It was first sold under the brand name Nutra Sweet. It was first synthesized in 1965, and the patent expired in 1992. The European Food Safety Authority concluded in its 2013 re-evaluation that aspartame and its breakdown products are safe for human consumption at current levels of exposure, [1] corroborating other medical reviews. [1] The taste of aspartame and other artificial sweeteners differs from that of table sugar in the times of onset and how long the sweetness lasts, though aspartame comes closest to sugar's taste profile among approved artificial sweeteners. [2] The sweetness of aspartame lasts longer than that of sucrose, so it is often blended with other artificial sweeteners such as acesulfame potassium to produce an overall taste more like sugar. [2 3] Aspartame can be synthesized from its constituent amino acids, L-phenylalanine and L-aspartate. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: The present study has been planned to observe the biofilm production of Streptococcus mutans over a biosurface and to assess the influence of aspartame on biofilm production over that surface. MATERIALS & METHODS: Thelyophilic standard Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175 (Hi media lab) was reactivated in Trypiticase Soy Broth incubated at37 0 C with 10% CO2 for 18 hrs. 2.5 ml of this liquid culture was added in two 5ml of Brain Heart Infusion Broths with sucrose, congo red and sterile human tooth one with 0.3% aspartame and other without aspartame and incubated at 37 0 C with 10% CO2 for 18 hrs.