{
  "patent_number": "US 3492131",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "The Discovery of Aspartame as a Sugar Substitute",
  "original_title": "Peptide sweetening agents",
  "summary": "This 1966 patent identifies specific chemical compounds, known as aspartylphenylalanine esters, that provide intense sweetness for food and drinks without using sugar.",
  "what_it_does": "The patent claims a group of chemical compounds, specifically aspartylphenylalanine methyl ester and its related derivatives, which function as high-intensity sweeteners. These compounds are peptides, which are short chains of amino acids. By adding these substances to edible materials alongside a non-toxic carrier, the composition provides a sweet taste. The patent specifies that these compounds can exist in various stereochemical configurations, such as L-L or DL-L, to achieve the desired sweetening effect.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover naturally occurring sugars like sucrose, glucose, or fructose.",
    "Does not cover non-peptide sweeteners such as saccharin or sucralose.",
    "Does not cover the specific manufacturing process for synthesizing these peptides, only the composition itself."
  ],
  "filed": "1966-04-18",
  "granted": "1970-01-27",
  "expires": "1987-01-27",
  "status": "expired",
  "holder": "GD Searle LLC",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/gd-searle-llc",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "James M Schlatter",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/james-m-schlatter"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 228,
  "tags": [
    "biotech",
    "pharmaceutical"
  ],
  "abstract": null,
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3492131/aspartame-sweetener",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3492131/aspartame-sweetener/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US3492131",
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}