The findings of two World Health Organization studies into the safety of artificial sweetener aspartame have revealed that the ingredient is a “possible carcinogen” but can still be consumed safely within previously recommended guidelines.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) declared that aspartame should be added to the list of possibly carcinogenic substances. However, the Joint Food and Agriculture Organisation and WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) reported that they did not find convincing evidence of a link between the substance and cancer.
The JECFA review maintained its guidance that aspartame is safe to consume in moderation. They continued to recommend keeping consumption of aspartame below 40mg/kg a day, a level that was initially set in 1981.
For the average person, this would be equivalent to consuming between nine to 14 cans of diet soda per day.
“Science is constantly expanding to evaluate the possible factors contributing to cancer, with the hope of reducing these numbers and the toll on human health,” said Dr. Francesco Branca, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at the WHO.
“The assessments of aspartame have indicated that, while safety is not a major concern at commonly used doses, potential effects have been described that require further investigation through more comprehensive and improved studies.”
The IARC’s classification of aspartame as a possible cancer-causing substance had leaked earlier this month, causing concern among food and beverage manufacturers worldwide. Aspartame is a popular ingredient used in products from chewing gum to diet soft drinks and low-calorie ice cream.
However, the IARC review did not consider the amount of aspartame a person would need to consume for it to be risky. This classification places aspartame in the same category as aloe vera and caffeic acid, commonly found in tea or coffee.
Food and beverage associations welcomed the JECFA review. The International Council of Beverages Associations (ICBA) stated that it represented a “definitive conclusion” that aspartame is safe for consumers.
“After a thorough review, this groundbreaking WHO finding further reinforces confidence in the safety of aspartame and will play a crucial role in informing consumers as they explore options to reduce sugar and calorie intake in their diets,” said ICBA Executive Director Kate Loatman. “JECFA’s comprehensive conclusion that aspartame is safe builds upon over four decades of overwhelming scientific evidence and positive determinations by food safety authorities in more than 90 countries.”
The International Sweeteners Association’s Secretary General Frances Hunt-Wood added, “JECFA has once again reaffirmed the safety of aspartame after conducting a thorough, comprehensive, and scientifically rigorous review. Aspartame, along with all low/no-calorie sweeteners, when used as part of a balanced diet, offers consumers a choice to reduce sugar intake, which is a critical public health objective.”
On the other hand, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) objected to the IARC ruling, stating that it was based on “significant shortcomings” in the studies considered for the decision.
“The FDA disagrees with IARC’s conclusion that these studies support classifying aspartame as a possible carcinogen for humans,” said an FDA spokesperson. “FDA scientists reviewed the scientific information included in IARC’s review in 2021 when it was first made available and identified significant shortcomings in the studies on which IARC relied.
“We note that JECFA did not raise safety concerns for aspartame under the current levels of use and did not change the acceptable daily intake.”
Speaking after PepsiCo’s second-quarter financial results were published yesterday (13 July), Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston stated that the company had no plans to modify any of its products following the IARC ruling.
“We don’t have any plans to change the product portfolio relative to where we are right now with aspartame,” Johnston told Reuters.
PepsiCo removed aspartame from its US diet sodas in 2020, but the substance remains present in a few products in the Gatorade brand owner’s roster, according to Johnson.
He added, “By far, the weight of scientific evidence suggests that aspartame is safe as an ingredient and obviously has the benefit of being zero-calorie.”
Earlier this year, the WHO published guidance stating that replacing sugar with non-sugar sweeteners, such as aspartame, in food and beverages does not aid in weight control.
They also mentioned that non-sugar sweeteners are “not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value.”
