Rabat – The World Health Organization’s (WHO) cancer research arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), is expected to classify Aspartame, a widely used sweetener, as a potential carcinogen, Forbes has reported.
“[The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)] has assessed the potential carcinogenic effect of aspartame,” Fortune quoted the WHO as saying. “Following this, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) will update its risk assessment exercise on aspartame, including the reviewing of the acceptable daily intake and dietary exposure assessment for aspartame.”
Aspartame is a common ingredient in various drinks and foods, including soft drinks, chewing gum, and yogurts, as well as cough drops and toothpaste.
The WHO label indicating limited evidence linking aspartame to cancer places it in the lowest of three categories, with “probable carcinogen” and “carcinogenic to humans” as the next possible classifications.
The IARC ruling will not factor in safe consumption levels of aspartame. The JECFA will determine the recommended daily intake and dietary exposure assessment for the substance.
The last study conducted by the WHO on aspartame was in 1981, which established an acceptable daily intake of 40 mg per kilogram of body weight.
The food industry has reacted defensively to the news, with the International Sweeteners Association, which includes PepsiCo and Mars Wrigley as members, expressing “serious concerns” about the classification.
They emphasized that aspartame is extensively researched and declared safe by over 90 food safety agencies worldwide.
The International Council of Beverages Associations, a trade organization representing the nonalcoholic beverage industry, also criticized the leaking of the report cautioning that it may mislead consumers into choosing sugar over low-sugar options.
The classification by the IARC is the latest setback for sugar substitutes. Last month, the WHO advised consumers to avoid non-sugar sweeteners for weight control, stating they did not contribute to weight loss. However, the guidance did not mention any potential health risks associated with these sweeteners.
Similar rulings in the past have had a significant impact on businesses that use the ingredients in question.
For instance, in 2015, the IARC review concluded that glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic.”
As a result, German drug and pesticide manufacturer Bayer faced multiple US court verdicts awarding damages to customers who claimed their cancer was caused by the company’s glyphosate-based weed killers.
Despite appealing the verdicts, Bayer has not been successful. The company argues that the verdicts contradict sound science and the approval of their products by federal regulators.
