Aspartame is one of the most widely used artificial sweeteners in the world. It has been deemed safe to consume within established daily limits since 1981, but now it appears that this fake sweetener may soon be banned from use.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) cancer research division and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) will both classify aspartame as a potential carcinogen, raising alarm among certain regulators and public health officials. We discuss some of the possible implications of this decision for consumers and manufacturers alike.
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener used in products like sugar-free sodas, sauces, energy drinks with no added sugar, and sugar-free chewing gum.
Since 1981 it has been considered safe to consume within recommended daily intake levels according to findings by the European Scientific Committee on Food, as well as a conclusion by the European Food Safety Authority in 2006 that aspartame intake at these established limits was safe.
However, due to recent warnings from the IARC and WHO about potential risks associated with consuming artificially sweetened foods or drinks containing aspartame, there is now uncertainty surrounding its safety status.
There are concerns that this news could mislead consumers into avoiding no- or low-sugar options out of fear of potential risk factors associated with aspartame consumption. These fears have been compounded by criticism levelled at IARC for informing the public about potential risks without providing full scientific evidence to back up their claims; something which could make people less likely to trust official dietary advice from regulatory bodies moving forward.
On top of all this confusion among consumers, Japan’s Ministry of Health have raised their own concerns over how working separately on investigations into aspartame could further complicate matters for those trying to make informed decisions regarding their diets and health choices based on reliable information.
For companies who manufacture products containing Aspartame such as Mars Wrigley – a unit of Coca-Cola – and Cargill (both part of International Sweeteners Association ISA), there are fears that this news will negatively impact sales due to consumer wariness around using such products going forward; especially if other countries follow suit in classifying it as potentially carcinogenic too.
Secretary General France Hunt Woods from ISA has criticized IARC for not conducting scientifically comprehensive reviews based on reliable evidence before releasing information which she believes could mislead consumers unnecessarily – something which also puts manufacturers at risk due to decreased demand if too many customers become wary about buying goods containing such ingredients due to lack of clarity over safety standards around them.
At present it would appear that much more research needs conducting into whether or not aspartame truly poses any risk factors when consumed within recommended guidelines before any definitive conclusions can be drawn regarding its safety status going forward.
