Yesterday, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning that the artificial sweeteners that are added to thousands of different low-calorie foods, chewing gums, and carbonated drinks pose a potential risk of cancer.
According to those with knowledge of the matter, the international organization is reportedly in the process of reclassifying aspartame and will soon label it as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” This new information comes after a comprehensive examination of the safety of artificial sugar substitution in 1,300 trials.
According to a study that was initially distributed by the Daily Mail UK, products such as Diet Coke, Dr. Pepper, and Fanta, in addition to additional chewing gum and Muller Light yoghurts, are examples of consumer goods that include aspartame. This sweetener was introduced to the market in the 1980s. Additionally, it can be found in several dessert mixes, cough drops without sugar, and toothpastes.
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The news is causing the food manufacturing industry all around the world to reel in disbelief, and it is having an impact on some of the most well-known brands in the world. In recent decades, there has been a significant movement toward regulating the consumption of sugar, which has resulted in the widespread adoption of artificial sweeteners like aspartame.
The conclusion made by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was immediately called into doubt by a variety of specialists, who referred to the classification system as “dumb” and said that “the dose makes the poison.”
Cancer Research UK has declared unequivocally that the use of artificial sweeteners like aspartame does not increase the risk of developing cancer.
In the meantime, relevant agencies asserted that the IARC review was comprised of “widely discredited research,” which “contradicts decades of high-quality evidence.”
The cancer warnings that have been put on red meat, working nights, and using mobile phones have come under fire for causing unwarranted anxiety over things or situations that are difficult to prevent. The warnings have been backed by the WHO.
The decision of the IARC, which has not yet been made public, will analyze the ‘evidence’ that has been made public in order to determine whether or not anything poses a risk to human health.
It does not take into account the maximum amount of a product that a person can consume without risking their health.
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The Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organization’s Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), in conjunction with national regulators, are the ones responsible for providing this guidance.
It was alleged that the JECFA is conducting an investigation into the usage of aspartame and will reveal its results on July 14, the same day as the IARC will make its decision public.
The JECFA has maintained since 1981 that aspartame can be consumed safely within the recognized daily limits.
To put yourself at risk, an adult who weighs 60 kilograms (132 pounds) would have to consume anywhere from 12 to 36 cans of diet soda each and every day, depending on the amount of aspartame that is contained in the beverage.