The World Health Organization’s cancer agency has deemed the sweetener aspartame — found in diet soda and countless other foods — a “probable” cause of cancer, while a separate expert group looking at the same evidence said it still only considers the sugar substitute only limitedly safe. quantities.

The various results of the coordinated reviews were released early Friday. One came from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is a special branch of the World Health Organization. The other report was from a group of experts selected by the World Health Organization and another group of the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization.
The Lyon-based Cancer Agency, which is based in France, periodically reviews potential cancer risks, but does not specify how likely it is to cause cancer in its ratings, which range from “likely” carcinogenic to “likely” to carcinogenic.
Aspartame joins a class of more than 300 other potential carcinogens, including things like aloe vera extract, Asian-style pickled vegetables, and chives.
However, the guidelines for using the sweetener do not change.
“We are not advising consumers to stop eating (aspartame) completely,” said WHO’s director of nutrition, Dr Francesco Branca. “We just advise a little moderation.”
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What is aspartame?
Aspartame is a low-calorie artificial sweetener that is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is an odorless white powder and the most widely used artificial sweetener in the world.
Aspartame is licensed as a food additive in Europe and the United States and is used in many foods and beverages such as Diet Cola, candies, chewing gum, medicines including cough drops, and foods intended to aid weight loss. It is found in tabletop sweeteners sold as Equal, Sugar Twin, and NutraSweet.
Aspartame was approved in 1974 by the US Food and Drug Administration with an acceptable daily intake of 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. According to the Food and Drug Administration, a person who weighs 132 pounds (60 kilograms) would need to consume about 75 packets of aspartame to reach this level.
United Nations experts evaluated the safety of aspartame in 1981 and set the safe daily limit slightly lower, at 40 milligrams of aspartame per kilogram.
David Spiegelhalter, professor emeritus of statistics at the University of Cambridge, said the guidance means that “average people are safe to drink up to 14 cans of diet drink per day…and even this ‘acceptable daily limit’ has a significant internal safety factor.”
What did the two groups say?
The World Health Organization’s cancer agency, IARC, convened its expert group meeting in June to assess the cancer-causing potential of aspartame. It based its conclusion that aspartame is “possibly carcinogenic” on human and animal studies that found “limited” evidence that the compound may be linked to liver cancer.
In a separate evaluation, experts compiled by the World Health Organization and the Food Agency updated their risk assessment, including a revision of the acceptable daily intake. They concluded that there is no “convincing evidence” at currently consumed levels that aspartame is dangerous; Their guidelines regarding acceptable levels of consumption have not changed.
The move comes weeks after the World Health Organization declared that sugar-free sweeteners do not help with weight loss and can lead to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and premature death in adults.
Should I worry about getting too much?
Not as long as you don’t exceed the guidelines. The FDA said scientific evidence continues to support the agency’s conclusion that aspartame is “safe for the general public” when used within limits.
Almost any substance can be dangerous if in excessive amounts, said David Chlorfield, a nutrition expert at the Indiana University Bloomington School of Public Health.
“The dose makes the poison,” said Clorefield, who previously served on the IARC committee. “Even essential nutrients like vitamin A, iron, and water will kill you within hours if too much is ingested.”
So what should consumers do?
Branca of the World Health Organization said it’s okay for people to consume a “very large” amount of aspartame without experiencing any ill effects. He said “large consumers” may want to cut back.
Dr. Peter Lowry, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, who previously nominated aspartame for IARC review, said there is an easy choice for consumers.
“At least when it comes to beverages,” he said, “our message is that your best option is to drink water or an unsweetened beverage.”
Most people, though, probably don’t pay much attention to IARC ratings. The agency previously classified processed meats such as sausage and bacon as carcinogenic, noting in particular their link to colon cancer. The move surprised even others in the scientific community – the UK’s largest cancer charity reassured Britons that eating a bacon sandwich every so often wouldn’t do them much harm.
What does this mean for the food and beverage industry?
Food and beverage producers say there is no reason to avoid products containing aspartame.
“There is broad consensus in the scientific and regulatory community that aspartame is safe,” the American Beverage Association said in a statement.
The WHO’s Branca said the agency generally advises food manufacturers to “use ingredients that don’t require a lot of added sugar”. Branca said after the latest evaluations of aspartame