Final answer:
Xylitol is the sugar alternative often used in chewing gum, providing dental health benefits and avoiding the issues associated with aspartame, which is not heat stable and has faced safety controversies.
So option (4) is correct
Step-by-step explanation:
The sugar alternative often used for chewing gum is xylitol, which is a sugar alcohol derived from sugars. Unlike aspartame, which is also a popular sugar substitute in many foods due to it being about 180 times sweeter than sucrose, xylitol is specifically known for its use in dental health products such as chewing gum due to its properties that can help reduce tooth decay. Though aspartame is a common sweetener in diet drinks and provided in blue packets for sweetening beverages, it is not usually the sweetener of choice for chewing gum because it is not heat stable and has potential health controversies. On the other hand, sucralose, which is approximately 600 times sweeter than sugar, is also used in various food products and is heat stable, making it suitable for baking, but it is not as commonly associated with chewing gum as xylitol.