Aspartame is most successful artificial sweetener but is only limited to cold food and cold drinks because:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Unstable at cooking temperature
Aspartame is the most widely used artificial sweetener, but it breaks down on heating, so it can be used only in cold foods and soft drinks.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (1) The control of sweetness of food is difficult — Incorrect. The problem is the breakdown of aspartame on heating, not the control of sweetness; for hot foods a heat-stable sweetener such as sucralose is used.
Option (2) Too many calories are released at high temperature — Incorrect. Artificial sweeteners are used precisely because they add very little energy; heating does not make aspartame release calories.
Option (3) Releases acetic acid when not in cold medium — Incorrect. Aspartame does not contain an acetyl group and does not give acetic acid; this is not its limitation.
Note 1: This question is from the pre-rationalised NCERT book (2022-23). The topic is not there in the latest NCERT book (2026-27), and it is also out of the CUET 2026 syllabus.
NCERT (Pre-rationalised edition, 2022-23):
Artificial Sweetening Agents – …
Note 2: The same/similar question has been asked in different years by NTA as per the details given below:
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | – | – | 22-05 S3 | 30-08 S2 |