Aspartame Classified as Potential Carcinogen by WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared aspartame, one of the most widely used artificial sweeteners in the world, as a possible carcinogen. However, despite this classification, the WHO has chosen to keep the current intake guidelines unchanged. According to a report by The Guardian, two different panels within the WHO have conducted reviews on aspartame. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, responsible for determining if a substance presents a possible risk, concluded that aspartame is potentially carcinogenic, indicating limited evidence of its association with cancer. On the other hand, the joint committee on Food Additives (JECFA), which assesses the safety of substances and acceptable intake levels, conducted its own review and found no compelling evidence that the current intake levels of aspartame are harmful. This is why the guidelines have remained the same.

The current intake guidelines for aspartame are quite high, allowing for the consumption of approximately 74 sweetener packets or 9 to 14 cans of diet soda containing aspartame per day, as reported by USA Today. The director of the WHO’s department of nutrition and food safety reassured that occasional consumption of aspartame should not pose a significant risk to most consumers. However, addressing the potential confusion arising from the different conclusions of the two panels, he suggested considering a third option: drinking water instead of cola with sweeteners or sugar. The Washington Post‘s editorial board advised against overreacting to the findings but also highlighted the need for further research on the sweetener. (Read more aspartame stories.)