Health

Potential Cancer Link to Aspartame Revealed in New International Study

The non-sugar sweetener aspartame, common in many household food and drink products, has been classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), according to an assessment released Thursday. This assessment was part of a joint effort also involving the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Aspartame, introduced in the 1980s, is found in a myriad of products including diet drinks, chewing gum, gelatin, ice cream, yogurt, breakfast cereal, toothpaste, and over-the-counter medications like cough drops and chewable vitamins. These findings cast a new light on the potential health impacts of this widely used artificial sweetener. However, Dr. Francesco Branca, director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO, emphasized that while the assessments indicate potential risks, "safety is not a major concern at the doses which are comm...