The process for such approvals is time and resource intensive. And yet, we have a new & improved artificial sweeteners every few years. Yes, I know the argument... the newest one tastes better. They said the same thing about new Coke.
Seems somewhat odd that something as simple as a sweeter needs to be re-engineered so often.
They are probably re-engineered by different companies so they have a monopoly on that product for the lifetime of the patent. Could also have a different chemical profile in terms of application and taste.
I guess it is like car tires. One variety could service most and it could be made by a single company but every tire manufacture has their own angle.
We don't get a new salt every X years. And that doesn't need to be tested and approved.
* Just a loose example, you can come up with your own additive or whatever.
p.s. For context, I have bad reactions to Aspartame. It took me a couple exposures to figure it out, with the last one nearly landing me in hospital. I certainly understand that nothing engineered is 100% safe. Nonetheless, I have personal experience with one of the "safe" sweeteners.
I'm saying that in order to introduce a new *artificial* sweetener, it is *very* resource intensive.
I'm saying that, if something was maybe showing sing of being "not safe" there's incentive to move on to something new sooner rather than later. That is, if exposure over time to A adds up, then it makes sense to want to move on from A to B sooner rather than later. Else A's flaws are going to be exposed.
Look at statins. The Healthcare Industrial Complex pushed those HARD. And then eventually it was, "Oh wait. These might not be as safe and as positive as we thought..." Then suddenly that push got pushed under the rug as if it never happened.
The irony of it all? We keep getting new & improved artificial sweeteners, and waistlines keep expanding more and more.
Seems somewhat odd that something as simple as a sweeter needs to be re-engineered so often.