Editing Aspartame (section)

===Ajinomoto===

In 2004, the market for aspartame, in which [[Ajinomoto]], the world's largest aspartame manufacturer, had a 40% share, was {{Convert|14000|t|ST LT|sp=us}} a year, and consumption of the product was rising by 2% a year.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a1rBnsdDJnM8 |title=Ajinomoto May Exceed Full-Year Forecasts on Amino Acid Products |publisher=Bloomberg L.P.access-date=23 June 2010 |date=18 November 2004 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130620035625/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a1rBnsdDJnM8 |archive-date=20 June 2013 }}</ref> Ajinomoto acquired its aspartame business in 2000 from [[Monsanto]] for $67&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|67000000|2000}}}} in {{Inflation/year|index=US-GDP}}{{Inflation/fn|index=US-GDP}}).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icis.com/Articles/2000/06/05/114953/sweetener-sale.html |title=Sweetener sale-05/06/2000-ECN |publisher=icis.com |access-date=9 July 2010 |archive-date=13 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713001707/http://www.icis.com/Articles/2000/06/05/114953/sweetener-sale.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2007, [[Asda]] was the first British supermarket chain to remove all artificial flavourings and colours in its [[store brand]] foods.<ref name="standard/6582564">{{cite news |title=Asda becomes first supermarket to axe all artificial flavourings and colours in own brand foods |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/asda-becomes-first-supermarket-to-axe-all-artificial-flavourings-and-colours-in-own-brand-foods-6582564.html |access-date=23 October 2022 |work=[[Evening Standard]] |date=12 April 2012 |archive-date=23 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023050121/https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/asda-becomes-first-supermarket-to-axe-all-artificial-flavourings-and-colours-in-own-brand-foods-6582564.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2008, Ajinomoto sued Asda, part of [[Walmart]], for a malicious falsehood action concerning its aspartame product when the substance was listed as excluded from the chain's product line, along with other "nasties". In July 2009, a British court ruled in favor of Asda.<ref name="independent/1747827">{{cite news |last1=Howard |first1=Stephen |title=Asda wins fight over 'nasty' sweetener |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/asda-wins-fight-over-nasty-sweetener-1747827.html |access-date=23 October 2022 |work=[[The Independent]] |agency=[[Press Association]] |date=15 July 2009 |archive-date=23 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023051220/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/asda-wins-fight-over-nasty-sweetener-1747827.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foodanddrinkeurope.com/Products-Marketing/Asda-claims-victory-in-aspartame-nasty-case |title=Asda claims victory in aspartame 'nasty' case |publisher=foodanddrinkeurope.com |access-date=23 June 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103050234/http://www.foodanddrinkeurope.com/Products-Marketing/Asda-claims-victory-in-aspartame-nasty-case |archive-date=3 January 2010 }}</ref> In June 2010, an appeals court reversed the decision, allowing Ajinomoto to pursue a case against Asda to protect aspartame's reputation.<ref name="confectionerynews/2010-Ajinomoto-Asda">{{cite news |last1=Watson |first1=Elaine |title=Radical new twist in Ajinomoto vs Asda 'nasty' battle |url=https://www.confectionerynews.com/Article/2010/06/03/Radical-new-twist-in-Ajinomoto-vs-Asda-nasty-battle |access-date=23 October 2022 |work=confectionery news |publisher= [[William Reed Ltd]] |date=2 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023040631/https://www.confectionerynews.com/Article/2010/06/03/Radical-new-twist-in-Ajinomoto-vs-Asda-nasty-battle |archive-date=23 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foodbev.com/news/court-of-appeal-rules-in-ajinomotoasda-aspartame-case |title=FoodBev.com |publisher= |access-date=23 June 2010 |quote=Court of Appeal rules in Ajinomoto/Asda aspartame case |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711015104/http://www.foodbev.com/news/court-of-appeal-rules-in-ajinomotoasda-aspartame-case |archive-date=11 July 2011 |date=3 June 2010 }}</ref> Asda said that it would continue to use the term "no nasties" on its own-label products,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foodnavigator.com/Legislation/Radical-new-twist-in-Ajinomoto-vs-Asda-nasty-battle |title=Radical new twist in Ajinomoto vs Asda 'nasty' battle |publisher= [[William Reed Ltd]] |work=foodnavigator.com |date=2 June 2010 |access-date=23 June 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100606185621/http://www.foodnavigator.com/Legislation/Radical-new-twist-in-Ajinomoto-vs-Asda-nasty-battle| archive-date= 6 June 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> but the suit was settled in 2011 with Asda choosing to remove references to aspartame from its packaging.<ref>{{cite news |title= Asda settles 'nasty' aspartame legal battle with Ajinomoto | vauthors = Bouckley B |url= http://www.foodnavigator.com/Financial-Industry/Asda-settles-nasty-aspartame-legal-battle-with-Ajinomoto |work=FoodNavigator.com |publisher= [[William Reed Ltd]] |date= 18 May 2011 |access-date= 18 July 2011 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110731051352/http://www.foodnavigator.com/Financial-Industry/Asda-settles-nasty-aspartame-legal-battle-with-Ajinomoto |archive-date= 31 July 2011 }}</ref><ref name="foodmanufacture/2011-Asda-settles">{{cite news |last1=Bouckley |first1=Ben |title=Asda settles 'nasty' legal spat with Ajinomoto over sweetener aspartame |url=https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2011/05/17/Asda-settles-nasty-legal-spat-with-Ajinomoto-over-sweetener-aspartame |access-date=23 October 2022 |work=foodmanufacture.co.uk |publisher= [[William Reed Ltd]] |date=16 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023040648/https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2011/05/17/Asda-settles-nasty-legal-spat-with-Ajinomoto-over-sweetener-aspartame |archive-date=23 October 2022}}</ref>

In November 2009, Ajinomoto announced a new brand name for its aspartame sweetener — AminoSweet.<ref name="rebrand">{{cite web |url=http://www.foodnavigator.com/Financial-Industry/Ajinomoto-brands-aspartame-AminoSweet |title=Ajinomoto brands aspartame AminoSweet |publisher= [[William Reed Ltd]] |work=Foodnavigator.com |date=25 November 2009 |access-date=7 July 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830014645/http://www.foodnavigator.com/Financial-Industry/Ajinomoto-brands-aspartame-AminoSweet |archive-date=30 August 2010 }}</ref>