INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
according to two sources with knowledge of the process, pitting it against the food industry and regulators.Aspartame, used in products from
is a potential hazard or not, based on all the published evidence.It does not take into account how much of a product a person can safely
This advice for individuals comes from a separate WHO expert committee on food additives, known as JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and
rulings in the past for different substances have raised concerns among consumers about their use, led to lawsuits, and pressured
manufacturers to recreate recipes and swap to alternatives
reviewing aspartame use this year
July 14.Since 1981, JECFA has said aspartame is safe to consume within accepted daily limits
Its view has been widely shared by national regulators, including in the United States and Europe.An IARC spokesperson said both the IARC
be confusing, according to letters from U.S
released on the same day, as is now happening
Years later, even as other bodies like the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) contested this assessment, companies were still feeling the
also faced criticism for sparking needless alarm over hard to avoid substances or situations
reported that some cancers in mice and rats were linked to aspartame.
However, the first study could not prove that aspartame caused
the increased cancer risk, and questions have been raised about the methodology of the second study, including by EFSA, which assessed
it.Aspartame is authorised for use globally by regulators who have reviewed all the available evidence, and major food and beverage makers
have for decades defended their use of the ingredient
The IARC said it had assessed 1,300 studies in its June review.Recent recipe tweaks by soft drinks giant Pepsico demonstrate the struggle
the industry has when it comes to balancing taste preferences with health concerns
Pepsico removed aspartame from sodas in 2015, bringing it back a year later, only to remove it again in 2020.Listing aspartame as a possible
carcinogen is intended to motivate more research, said the sources close to the IARC, which will help agencies, consumers and manufacturers
generally.Last month, the WHO published guidelines advising consumers not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control
The guidelines caused a furore in the food industry, which argues they can be helpful for consumers wanting to reduce the amount of sugar in
