Aspartame, found in soft drinks, confectionery and desserts, has been classified as a possible carcinogen by WHO/Reuters/Mario Anzuoni
One of global households' most commonly used sugar substitutes has been classified as a possible carcinogen by the World Health Organization. Aspartame, a popular artificial sweetener found in everything from diet drinks and chewing gum to yoghurts and condiments, was found to pose a potential hazard by the cancer research arm of the world's leading health body.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) finalized its ruling on the white, odorless alternative to sugar in June. WHO is expected to review aspartame use this year.
Aspartame gained popularity among a booming health and diet-conscious consumer base given its almost zero calorific value and lack of a bitter aftertaste. In 1981, the WHO deemed it safe to consume within accepted daily limits.
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More than ninety countries, including the UK, Spain and France have cleared aspartame and found it safe for human consumption. That's why the WHO ruling is likely to stir concerns among both consumers and manufacturers.
"IARC is not a food safety body and their review of aspartame is not scientifically comprehensive and is based heavily on widely discredited research," Frances Hunt-Wood, secretary general of the International Sweeteners Association said ahead of the release of today's findings.
WATCH: Our video on aspartame and where it is used
The body, whose members include brand heavy weights such as Mars Wrigley, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, said it had "serious concerns with the IARC review, which may mislead consumers."
Some fear it will drive consumers to turn their backs on sugar substitutes altogether.
The International Council of Beverages Associations' executive director Kate Loatman warned the move "could needlessly mislead consumers into consuming more sugar rather than choosing safe, low-sugar options."
Aspartame has to be noted on the product's ingredients list/CFP
The questions around Aspartame are not new
The low-calorie artificial sweetener has been extensively studied for years. A study of 100,000 adults in France last year found people who consumed larger amounts of artificial sweeteners, including aspartame, had a slightly higher risk of cancer.
Another study in Italy in the early 2000s reported some cancers in mice and rats were linked to aspartame. But both studies have raised eye brows - the first not proving conclusively aspartame caused the increased cancer risk, and questions were raised about the methodology of the second study.
IARC rulings carry a lot of weight
Similar rulings in the past for different substances led to lawsuits and forced manufacturers to tweak their recipes.
PepsiCo is a good example of a company that has struggled with balancing taste preferences against health concerns. The soft drinks giant removed aspartame from sodas in 2015, bringing it back a year later, only to remove it again in 2020.
Sources with the cancer research body say its ruling is intended to inspire more research to help agencies, consumers and manufacturers draw firmer conclusions.
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Video editor: Tom Triebel