Aspartame Can Be Declared Carcinogenic By WHO:
The artificial sweetener called aspartame, found in many soft drinks, is set to be declared carcinogenic by the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) cancer research unit.
- Aspartame is the world’s most commonly used low-calorie artificial sweetener, which is approximately 200 times sweeter than sucrose (common sugar)
- It was discovered by James M. Schlatter, a chemist, in 1965 and was introduced to replace sucrose.
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved aspartame for use in some dry foods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983.
- It is made up of two amino acids: aspartic acid and phenylalanine, which are naturally occurring amino acids in many protein-rich foods.
- In the body, aspartame is metabolised into its constituent components, aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and a small amount of methanol.
- It is used worldwide as a sugar substitute in thousands of foods and drinks, including cereals, sugar-free chewing gum, low-calorie fruit juices and diet sodas.
- Around 100 countries around the world, including India, permit the use of aspartame.
