World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently released the results of a hazard and risk assessment on aspartame, an artificial sweetener commonly used in sugar-free products. The assessment classifies aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” due to limited evidence suggesting a potential link to liver cancer.
The Lancet Oncology
The findings published in The Lancet Oncology journal highlight the need for further research to better understand the potential health risks associated with aspartame consumption.
“Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally. Every year, 1 in 6 people die from cancer. Science is continuously expanding to assess the possible initiating or facilitating factors of cancer, in the hope of reducing these numbers and the human toll,” said Dr Francesco Branca, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, WHO. “The assessments of aspartame have indicated that, while safety is not a major concern at the doses which are commonly used, potential effects have been described that need to be investigated by more and better studies.”
“The findings of limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and animals, and of limited mechanistic evidence on how carcinogenicity may occur, underscore the need for more research to refine our understanding on whether consumption of aspartame poses a carcinogenic hazard,”
For more detailed information, refer to the official report on the WHO website: link.
