Aspartame Labelled a ‘Potential Cancer Risk’ by WHO

Aspartame, a sweetener commonly found in diet drinks and chewing gum, has been declared a potential cancer risk by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The sweetener has been listed as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”.

Aspartame is found in drinks including Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Sprite Zero and Fanta Zero. It is also used in various food and beverage products since the 1980s, including ice cream, dairy products such as yogurt, breakfast cereal, toothpaste and medications such as cough drops and chewable vitamins.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the WHO’s cancer research arm, said there was “limited evidence” aspartame caused cancer in humans.

“While safety is not a major concern at the doses which are commonly used, potential effects have been described that need to be investigated,” the WHO’s Dr Francesco Branca said.

And giving advice to the public, he added: “If consumers are faced with the decision of whether to take cola with sweeteners or one with sugar, I think there should be a third option considered – which is to drink water instead.”

The limit of aspartame daily intake

WHO concluded that the data evaluated indicated no sufficient reason to change the previously established acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0–40 mg/kg body weight for aspartame. It reaffirmed that it is safe for a person to consume within this limit per day.

For example, with a can of diet soft drink containing 200 or 300 mg of aspartame, an adult weighing 70kg would need to consume more than 9–14 cans per day to exceed the acceptable daily intake, assuming no other intake from other food sources.

While the findings on possible links to cancer may not deter consumers who drink smaller amounts of diet soda, the announcement could at least temporarily hurt sales, CNBC reports.

Branca said manufacturers who use aspartame in their food and drinks should consider making their products without the sweetener.

But PepsiCo Chief Financial Officer Hugh Johnston told Reuters on Thursday that the company has no plans to change its use of aspartame. He added that the company doesn’t include the sweetener in much of its portfolio.

Aspartame was used in Diet Pepsi until 2015, when the company tweaked the formula. After backlash from customers, PepsiCo brought it back a year later. But the change didn’t last long — the beverage giant got rid of aspartame in Diet Pepsi in 2020. It still uses it in Pepsi Zero Sugar.

Coke faces more risk of losing out on sales over aspartame concerns, CNBC reports. The beverage giant currently uses the sweetener in both its Diet Coke and Coke Zero, but could swap it for another, such as stevia, in the future.

In May 2023, WHO issued a new guideline on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) saying that using them isn’t a good way to control your weight.

The WHO made this recommendation after reviewing a large body of evidence and discovering that using NSS does not help people lose weight or reduce body fat in the long run, whether they are adults or children.

It also discovered that using NSS for an extended period of time may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even death.