Aspartame was discovered in 1965 by James M. Schlatter, a chemist working for G.D. Searle & Company. Schlatter had synthesized aspartame as an intermediate step in generating a tetrapeptide of the hormone gastrin, for use in assessing an anti-ulcer drug candidate. He discovered its sweet taste when he licked his finger, which had become contaminated with aspartame, to lift up a piece of paper. Torunn Atteraas Garin participated in the development of aspartame as an artificial sweetener.

Wikipedia, Aspartame Page

1. Mazur RH (1974). “Aspartic acid-based sweeteners”. In Inglett GE (ed.). Symposium: sweeteners. Westport, CT: AVI Publishing. pp. 159–63. ISBN 978-0-87055-153-6. LCCN 73-94092.
2. Lewis R (2001). Discovery: windows on the life sciences. Oxford: Blackwell Science. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-632-04452-8.
3. Mazur, R.H. (1984). “Discovery of aspartame”. In Aspartame: Physiology and Biochemistry. L. D. Stegink and L. J. Filer Jr. (Eds.). Marcel Dekker, New York, pp. 3–9.
4. Mills J (21 September 1983). “Aspartame: The controversy continues despite FDA blessings”. Spokane Chronicle. (Washington). p. B1.

I’m disappointed he does not have his own Wikipedia page. Garin has a page but it is not especially informative.

Obituary

James M. Schlatter, 89 of Avon and formerly of Brazil, IN and Glenview, IL, passed away Friday, November 15, 2019 in his residence. He was born in Brazil on July 27, 1930 to Howard and Bertha (Schwab) Schlatter. He was a retired chemist for G.D. Searle in Skokie, IL

Jim was a 1948 graduate of Brazil Senior High School and DePauw University in 1952. He received his Masters Degree in chemistry at Indiana University in 1954. Jim served his country in the U.S. Army. He attended the Brazil Lutheran Church as a child. During his career with G.D. Searle, Jim was the lead chemist and developer of Aspartame used to make NutraSweet and Equal artificial sweeteners. He was a member of the Moose Club in Marathon, FL, Jim liked to travel, go fishing, gardening and woodworking. He also enjoyed listening to Classical and Jazz music. Jim took pleasure in being able to contribute to many worthwhile charities.

Obituary, French Funeral Home website

It is from this obituary, or rather the tribute wall, that I learned some other history having nothing whatever to do with aspartame so far as I know. He liked to eat at something called The Berghoff restaurant, which does have a wikipedia page.

The Berghoff restaurant, at 17 West Adams Street, near the center of the Chicago Loop, was opened in 1898 by Herman Joseph Berghoff and has become a Chicago landmark.

The restaurant opened in 1898 as a saloon, but during Prohibition, when serving alcohol was illegal, it became known for its characteristic German food, such as sauerbraten, wiener schnitzel, creamed spinach, and apple strudel. The Berghoff was also known for its waiters, who were professionals, with formal cloth aprons, and remembered orders with no need to write them down. The restaurant followed a European system under which waiters purchased food from the kitchen via a token system and resold it to the customer. For much of its history, the Berghoff maintained a separate men’s only bar. The segregation ended in 1969, when seven members of the National Organization for Women, followed a little later by the organization’s head, Gloria Steinem, stood at the bar and demanded service.

Wikipedia Berghoff restaurant page

Who knew?