Aspartame is a synthetic sweetener used as a food additive, known as E951, found in products like Coke Zero. The synthetic sweetener aspartame is being considered as a possible cancer risk, although there is no substantial scientific evidence to support this claim.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is planning to classify aspartame, along with aloe vera extract and pickled vegetables, as possibly carcinogenic to humans in Group 2B.
Several scientific organizations, including the University of Cologne and the European Food Safety Authority, have concluded that there is no evidence to support the carcinogenicity of aspartame.
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives also deems aspartame safe as long as daily intake remains below a certain threshold (40 mg/kg of body weight). The IARC’s classification of aspartame is not a reflection of a realistic cancer risk but rather focuses on the theoretical potential for harm, even in cases where high amounts of the substance would be required.
For example, 70 kg weighing adult woman would need to regularly consume over 2,800 mg of aspartame daily to expect any potential health harm & it would require drinking several liters of Coke Zero.
The IARC’s purpose is to identify possible hazards rather than specific risks. As a result, consuming aspartame in typical amounts is not a cause for concern, and excessive intake would be necessary to approach levels that could potentially lead to adverse health effects.
The IARC’s classification should be viewed in the context of its general approach to hazard assessment rather than an indication of a substantial cancer risk associated with aspartame.
