Cup of tea with sweetener sorbitol in a spoon (Credits: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is set to declare the artificial sweetener aspartame – used in a range of everyday food and drinks including Diet Coke – as a cancer risk.
The organisation’s committee on additives has been reviewing aspartame use this year and will announce its findings on July 14 – which is the same day they will decide whether or not to declare it as carcinogenic.
A spokesman for the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the WHO’s dedicated cancer research arm which has been looking into the sweetener, said its findings were ‘confidential’ until July.
With aspartame being used as a sugar substitute in so many common food and drink items this news may well come as a concern to many.
But which everyday items do contain aspartame?
Which everyday food and drink contains aspartame?
Aspartame is most likely to be found in food and drink branded as ‘low calorie’, ‘no calorie’, ‘Diet’ or ‘sugar-free’ – although not all products branded with these labels will contain aspartame.
It’s best-known for being used in low-calorie soft drinks such as Diet Coke, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Coke Zero, Fanta Zero, Dr Pepper Zero and Sprite Zero. Tango Orange, Ribena Light and some Lucozade drinks are also known to contain it.
However, it is also used in some chewing gum – such as Wrigley’s Extra and Orbit – as well as Muller Light yoghurt, and can also be found in some frozen desserts, reduced sugar ketchup, and even some toothpastes, sugar-free lozenges and vitamin gummies.
Diet drinks are known to be among the thousands of products which contain aspartame (Picture: Getty Images)
Instant coffee, dairy-free milks and sugar-free coffee syrups and other sweeteners for hot drinks have all been known to contain aspartame.
Should you be concerned?
While any carcinogen in food or everyday items is a cause for concern, experts have suggested it’s not the consumption of aspartame which is the main problem, but how much.
Since 1981,the additives committee has said aspartame is safe to consume within daily limits.
For example, an adult weighing 60 kg (132 pounds) would have to drink between 12 and 36 cans of diet soda – depending on the amount of aspartame in the beverage – every day to be at risk.
I believe it’s more to do with the amount of aspartame a person consumes,’ pharmacist Navid Sole explained.
‘Aspartame is a non-saccharide artificial sweetener and is dangerous because aspartame is metabolised in the body to different metabolites, which can result in headaches, convulsions and potentially depression.
Much depends on how much aspartame is consumed (Picture: Getty Images)
‘As we always say “too much of something is never good”. The benefits of having some levels of aspartame is that it benefits calorie-conscious consumers, does not promote tooth decay and it enhances and extends flavours.’
Over-use of a product that can potentially be carcinogenic will mean you are increasing the risk of cancer,’ Sole added. ‘Cosmetic products are known to potentially be carcinogenic yet are used by people worldwide and seems to be safe – yet too much can potentially mean higher risks of cancer.
‘However, it’s worth stating that some people may be more vulnerable and have a higher risk towards cancer than others due to genetics, pre-existing medical conditions or being immunosuppressant thus meaning their body may respond differently.
‘I believe the public should not panic but this is a good sign of raising awareness so the public are aware of what they are consuming and to what extent they can consume the product.’
MORE : Sorry Diet Coke fans, artificial sweeteners are not better for your health
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) is set to declare the artificial sweetener aspartame as a cancer risk.