Microbial sensor for aspartame

Summary A microbial amperometric sensor using immobilized Bacillus subtilis cells was developed for the determination of the dipeptide sweetener aspartame (l-aspartyl-l-phenylalaninemethylester). From 0.07 to 0.6 mmol/l aspartame, a linear dependence of the initial current change (i.e., change in respiration rate) was obtained. The sensitivity for aspartame was one order of magnitude higher than for its amino acid constituents. The microbial sensor was stable for 8 weeks.