For the first time, a semi-independent committee for the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that it’s determined that aspartame, a popular artificial sweetener found in thousands of products like diet sodas and sugar-free gum, should be categorized as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

 

Aspartame is an artificial (chemical) sweetener widely used in various food and beverage products since the 1980s, including diet drinks, chewing gum, gelatin, ice cream, dairy products such as yogurt, breakfast cereal, toothpaste and medications such as cough drops and chewable vitamins.

 

Assessments of the health impacts of Aspartame were released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). 

 

Citing 'limited evidence' for carcinogenicity in humans, IARC classified aspartame as possibly carcinogenic to humans (IARC Group 2B) and JECFA reaffirmed the acceptable daily intake of 40 mg/kg body weight.

 

The two bodies conducted independent but complementary reviews to assess the potential carcinogenic hazard and other health risks associated with aspartame consumption. This was the first time that IARC has evaluated aspartame and the third time for JECFA.

 

"Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally. Every year, 1 in 6 people die from cancer. Science is continuously expanding to assess the possible initiating or facilitating factors of cancer, in the hope of reducing these numbers and the human toll," said Dr Francesco Branca, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, WHO. 

 

"The assessments of aspartame have indicated that, while safety is not a major concern at the doses which are commonly used, potential effects have been described that need to be investigated by more and better studies," he stated.

 

Aspartame is considered one of the most studied food additives in existence. Multiple regulatory bodies like the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have repeatedly said that aspartame is safe for human consumption if used within certain guidelines, reported CNN. 

 

In fact, a separate WHO committee of experts also did a risk assessment on aspartame and said that WHO’s own guidelines do not need to change.

 

The declaration by a WHO agency of a cancer risk associated with aspartame reflects the first time the prominent international body has weighed in publicly on the effects of the nearly ubiquitous artificial sweetener. Aspartame has been a contentious ingredient for decades.

 

While some scientists and food and beverage manufacturers worry that WHO’s label of “possibly carcinogenic” will confuse consumers, the agency said its hope is that this designation will prompt scientists to do even more research on aspartame and a possible link, if any, to cancer, stated the report.

 

A second WHO committee, though, held steady on its assessment of a safe level of aspartame consumption. By some calculations using the panel’s standard, a person weighing 150 pounds could avoid a risk of cancer but still drink about a dozen cans of diet soda a day.

 

The FDA said on its website Friday that it disagreed with IARC’s conclusion about aspartame being a possible carcinogen to humans. It took issue with the studies the committee relied on to come to its conclusion, saying in an email to CNN that the research had “significant shortcomings.”

 

“FDA scientists do not have safety concerns when aspartame is used under the approved conditions,” the FDA said.

 

American Beverage, an association representing the non-alcoholic beverage industry, said in a statement that “There is a broad consensus in the scientific and regulatory community that aspartame is safe. It’s a conclusion reached time and time again by food safety agencies around the world.”

 

The association said safety is always the highest priority of its industry. “The fact that food safety agencies worldwide, including the FDA, continue to find aspartame safe makes us confident in the safety of our products,” it added.

 

Concerns about rising global rates of obesity and diabetes as well as changing consumer preferences have resulted in an explosion of no- and low-sugar food and beverages, reported The New York Times. 

 

Aspartame, one of six sweeteners approved by US regulators, is found in thousands of products, from packets of Equal to sugar-free gum, diet sodas, teas, energy drinks and even yogurts. It is also used to sweeten various pharmaceutical products.

 

Although WHO said in a separate decision in May that people shouldn’t rely on non-sugar sweeteners for weight control, aspartame is often used in “diet” drinks because it has fewer calories than regular sugar. Compared with regular table sugar, aspartame is also about 200 times sweeter, so products don’t need as much of it, it added.