Aspartame consumption in rats selectively bred for high versus low saccharin intake

Whereas humans use aspartame as a sugar substitute, evidence to date from rats suggests that aspartame does not taste sweet or, more generally, hedonically positive to them. The present study provided a strong test of the appetitive properties of aspartame in rats by examining consumption of aspartame and, for comparison, several sugars by two lines of rats selectively bred for high (HiS) versus low (LoS) saccharin consumption. The HiS and LoS lines differed in consumption of fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, and saccharin solutions. Overall, the rats showed a weak but significant preference for aspartame. However, no line differences in aspartame consumption were observed. Thus, even among rats specifically bred on the basis of their responsiveness to sweet tastes, aspartame tastes minimally sweet or good.