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Aspartame sweeteners 'possibly carcinogenic'? What are the alternatives?
The IARC ruling on aspartame sweeteners does not take into account how much of a product a person can safely consume.
With aspartame set to be declared as a possible cancer-causing substance next month by a leading global health body, according to a Reuters report, food companies, retailers and restaurants may scramble to find alternatives to the world's most common artificial sweeteners. The report suggests that aspartame will be listed in July as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer research arm.
When an agent is considered possibly carcinogenic to humans
According to the IARC, there are four different levels of classifications based on the strength of the evidence, rather than how dangerous a substance is - carcinogenic, probably carcinogenic, possibly carcinogenic and not classifiable.
A substance is classified as possible carcinogenic when either there is limited evidence of "carcinogenicity in humans" or strong evidence showing that the agent exhibits key characteristics of human carcinogens.
Major substances and agents in this category
Nasal cavity and paranasal sinus – Carpentry
Pharynx, Oesophagus and Stomach – Pickled vegetables (traditional Asian)
Lung and urinary bladder – Occupational exposures in printing processes
Urinary bladder and oesophagus -- Occupational exposures in dry cleaning
Brain and central nervous system – Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields
What products contain aspartame
The low-calorie sugar substitute can be found in soft drinks, gelatin, confectionery, desserts, and sugar-free cough drops. It is also used to enhance the flavouring of baked and canned foods, powdered drink mixes, candy and puddings.
What other artificial sweeteners are in use
Saccharin, sucralose and neotame are among five other artificial sweeteners alongside aspartame authorized by a WHO expert committee on food additives. The US Food and Drug Administration has also approved the usage of three types of plant- and fruit-based sweeteners, including extracts obtained from the stevia plant, swingle fruit extracts and a group of proteins called Thaumatin.
Trade bodies react
More than ninety countries, including the US, the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Australia and New Zealand have reviewed aspartame and found it to be safe for human consumption and allow its use. Several consumer industry trade bodies rejected the IARC’s assessment and said the headlines could have a negative impact on sales volumes of lower-calorie sodas.
"We think this report is likely to cause beverage companies and trade groups both to challenge the findings and swap to substitute sweeteners in their recipes such as stevia,” Garrett Nelson, senior equity analyst at CFRA Research, said.
Shoppers can find aspartame in Weight Watchers yoghurts, some Snapple drinks and Conagra’s Mrs. Butterworth’s syrups.
