For the first time, a somewhat independent committee for the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded on Thursday about aspartame.
It is a widely used artificial sweetener found in tens of thousands of items like diet drinks and sugar-free gum, which should be classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
Aspartame Risk And Status Quo Guidelines
However, despite how ominous the designation may sound, it does not imply that your diet soda causes cancer.
The categorization indicates that some studies examined by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) suggest that there may be a possible association between aspartame and liver cancer, but that evidence is far from conclusive, as it is for a substance like asbestos or cigarettes.
One of the most extensively researched food additives now in use is aspartame. According to numerous regulatory agencies, including the US Food and Drug Administration, aspartame is safe for consumption by humans when used in accordance with some rules.
In reality, a different WHO committee of specialists also conducted a risk evaluation on aspartame and concluded on Thursday that no changes to WHO’s own recommendations are required.
While some researchers and food and beverage producers are concerned that the WHO’s designation of “possibly carcinogenic” could mislead consumers, the organization stated its intention is that this designation will inspire researchers to perform much more research on aspartame and a potential relationship, if any, to cancer.
Read more: WHO’s Disease Watchlist: Monitoring Potential Pandemic Threats
FDA Disputes IARC’s Cancer Concerns
The FDA stated on its website on Friday that it disagreed with the IARC’s assessment that aspartame may cause human cancer.
In an email to CNN, it criticized the studies that the committee had used as the basis for its judgment, claiming that they had “significant shortcomings.”
It has been available for many years. Aspartame is included in around 6,000 items worldwide, according to the Calorie Control Council, an international organization that represents the low- and reduced-calorie food and beverage industry.
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