According to insider sources, a prominent global health organization is expected to declare aspartame, one of the most widely used artificial sweeteners, a potential carcinogen in the coming month. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), is set to include aspartame in its list of substances that are “possibly carcinogenic to humans” for the first time. This decision, based on a comprehensive evaluation of existing research, aims to determine potential hazards rather than establish safe consumption levels. Assessments of safe intake limits are handled separately by the WHO’s expert committee on food additives, known as JECFA, along with national regulatory bodies. However, previous IARC rulings on various substances have generated concerns among consumers, resulting in legal actions and prompting manufacturers to seek alternative ingredients. This has led to criticism that the IARC’s assessments can be perplexing for the general public. JECFA is also reviewing the use of aspartame this year, with its findings scheduled to be announced simultaneously with the IARC’s decision. Since 1981, JECFA has deemed aspartame safe for consumption within established daily limits, a viewpoint shared by national regulators in the United States and Europe. The IARC’s conclusion, which represents a fundamental step in understanding the potential carcinogenicity of aspartame, is expected to be complementary to JECFA’s assessment. Industry representatives and regulators, however, express concerns about the simultaneous evaluations, fearing confusion among the public. Calls have been made for coordination between the two bodies and for the release of their conclusions on the same day.
Critics argue that the IARC’s decisions have generated unnecessary concerns by categorizing certain substances or situations as potentially cancer-causing. Examples include classifying night shift work and red meat consumption as “probably cancer-causing” and labeling the use of mobile phones as “possibly cancer-causing,” similar to the classification of aspartame. The International Sweeteners Association (ISA) emphasizes that the IARC is not a food safety authority and highlights that the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) is currently conducting a comprehensive review of aspartame’s safety. The ISA notes that aspartame is one of the most extensively researched ingredients, with over 90 global food safety agencies, including the EFSA, affirming its safety. The International Council of Beverages Association (ICBA) shares a similar standpoint, stating that aspartame has been proven safe in reducing calories and sugars in diets. They cite evidence from large population studies showing that using low and no-calorie sweeteners as a substitute for added sugars is associated with positive public health outcomes. While an observational study in France found a slightly higher cancer risk among individuals consuming larger amounts of artificial sweeteners, it could not establish causation. Questions have also been raised about the methodology of an earlier study conducted by the Ramazzini Institute in Italy, including assessments by the EFSA.
