The World Health Organization’s cancer agency has deemed the sweetener aspartame — found in diet soda and countless other foods — as a “possible” cause of cancer, while a separate expert group looking at the same evidence said it still considers the sugar substitute safe in limited quantities.
The differing results of the coordinated reviews were released early Friday. One came from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a special branch of the WHO. The other report was from an expert panel selected by WHO and another U.N. group, the Food and Agriculture Organization.
The Lyon, France-based cancer agency periodically reviews potential cancer hazards, but doesn’t determine how likely they are to cause cancer in their evaluations which range from “possibly” carcinogenic to “probably” to cancer-causing.
Aspartame joins a category with more than 300 other possible cancer-causing agents, including things like aloe vera extract, Asian-style pickled vegetables and carpentry work.
The guidance on use of the sweetener, though, isn’t changing.
“We’re not advising consumers to stop consuming (aspartame) altogether,” said WHO’s nutrition director Dr. Francesco Branca. “We’re just advising a bit of moderation.”
J. David Ake
FILE - A bottle of soda is photographed in Washington Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014. On Thursday, July 13, 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization, deemed aspartame, the world’s most widely used artificial sweetener, to be “possibly carcinogenic” to humans. Separately, a U.N. expert group assessing the same evidence said their guidance regarding safe consumption of the sweetener remained unchanged. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)
Here’s a look at the announcement:
WHAT IS ASPARTAME?
Aspartame is a low-calorie artificial sweetener that is about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is a white, odorless powder and the world’s most widely used artificial sweetener.
Aspartame is authorized as a food additive in Europe and the U.S. and is used in numerous foods, drinks such as Diet Coke, desserts, chewing gum, medications including cough drops and foods intended to help with weight loss. It’s in tabletop sweeteners sold as Equal, Sugar Twin and NutraSweet.
Aspartame was approved in 1974 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with an acceptable daily intake of 50 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. According to the FDA, a person weighing 132 pounds (60 kilograms) would need to consume about 75 aspartame packets to reach that level.
U.N. experts evaluated the safety of aspartame in 1981 and set the safe daily limit slightly lower, at 40 milligrams of aspartame per kilogram.
David Spiegelhalter, an emeritus statistics professor at Cambridge University, said the guidance means that “average people are safe to drink up to 14 cans of diet drink a day … and even this ‘acceptable daily limit’ has a large built-in safety factor.”
WHAT DID THE TWO GROUPS SAY?
WHO’s cancer agency, IARC, convened its expert group in June to assess the potential of aspartame to cause cancer. It based its conclusion that aspartame is “possibly carcinogenic” on studies in humans and animals that found “limited” evidence that the compound may be linked to liver cancer.
In a separate evaluation, experts assembled by WHO and the food agency updated their risk assessment, including reviewing the acceptable daily intake. They concluded there was “no convincing evidence” at the currently consumed levels that aspartame is dangerous; their guidelines regarding acceptable levels of consumption were unchanged.
The move comes weeks after the WHO said that non-sugar sweeteners don’t help with weight loss and could lead to increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and early death in adults.
SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING TOO MUCH?
Not as long as you don’t exceed the guidelines. The FDA said scientific evidence continues to support the agency’s conclusion that aspartame is “safe for the general population,” when used within limits.
Almost any substance can be dangerous in excessive amounts, said David Klurfeld, a nutrition expert at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington.
“The dose makes the poison,” said Klurfeld, who previously served on an IARC panel. “Even essential nutrients like vitamin A, iron and water will kill you within hours if too much is consumed.”
SO WHAT SHOULD CONSUMERS DO?
WHO’s Branca said it was acceptable for people to consume a “pretty large” amount of aspartame without suffering any ill effects. “High consumers” might want to cut back, he said.
Dr. Peter Lurie, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which previously nominated aspartame for IARC review, said there’s an easy choice for consumers.
“At least when it comes to beverages, our message is your best choice is to drink water or an unsweetened beverage,” he said.
Most people, though, probably don’t pay much attention to IARC evaluations. The agency has previously classified processed meat like hot dogs and bacon as cancer-causing, noting in particular its link to colon cancer. That move surprised even others in the scientific community — the U.K.’s biggest cancer charity reassured Britons that eating a bacon sandwich every so often wouldn’t do them much harm.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY?
Food and beverage producers say there’s no reason to avoid products with aspartame.
“There is a broad consensus in the scientific and regulatory community that aspartame is safe,” the American Beverage Association said in a statement.
WHO’s Branca said the agency advises food manufacturers in general to “use ingredients that do not require the addition of too much sugar.” After the latest assessments of aspartame, Branca said that using sweeteners “is probably not the way forward.”
___
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Consumers in the United States put their trust in organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture to keep packaged foods, fish, and livestock production safe—but to what standards?
Many American food additives (think flame retardants and suspected carcinogens) and production standards that have been approved domestically are banned or strictly regulated abroad. This is all in addition to the U.S.'s liberal policies on genetically modified organisms, which are more restricted or banned outright in other countries as well.
What chemicals are lurking in the ingredients of some of America's favorite foods? What production practices are standardized in the United States but illegal in other parts of the world?
Click through Stacker's list to discover 29 everyday American food products with ingredients that are banned in other countries.
You may also like: What the average American eats in a year
Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Consumers in the United States put their trust in organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture to keep packaged foods, fish, and livestock production safe—but to what standards?
Many American food additives (think flame retardants and suspected carcinogens) and production standards that have been approved domestically are banned or strictly regulated abroad. This is all in addition to the U.S.'s liberal policies on genetically modified organisms, which are more restricted or banned outright in other countries as well.
What chemicals are lurking in the ingredients of some of America's favorite foods? What production practices are standardized in the United States but illegal in other parts of the world?
Click through Stacker's list to discover 29 everyday American food products with ingredients that are banned in other countries.
You may also like: What the average American eats in a year
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
dean bertoncelj // Shutterstock
This citrus-flavored soft drink uses brominated vegetable oil (BVO) as an emulsifier. BVO is banned in Japan and the European Union because it contains bromine, the element found in brominated flame retardants, which can build up in the body and potentially lead to memory loss as well as skin and nerve problems.
dean bertoncelj // Shutterstock
This citrus-flavored soft drink uses brominated vegetable oil (BVO) as an emulsifier. BVO is banned in Japan and the European Union because it contains bromine, the element found in brominated flame retardants, which can build up in the body and potentially lead to memory loss as well as skin and nerve problems.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Goumbik // Pixabay
In the United States, farmers use ractopamine to increase lean muscle growth in livestock, including in 40-60% of American pigs. Elsewhere, 160 nations—including the European Union, Russia, and China—ban the use of the drug in meat production.
Goumbik // Pixabay
In the United States, farmers use ractopamine to increase lean muscle growth in livestock, including in 40-60% of American pigs. Elsewhere, 160 nations—including the European Union, Russia, and China—ban the use of the drug in meat production.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Joe Wolf // Flickr
The fast-food chain uses the chemical azodicarbonamide as a whitening agent and dough conditioner in its baked goods. Although its use is decreasing in the United States because of concerns that it is a carcinogen, the FDA still permits it. It is banned in Europe.
Joe Wolf // Flickr
The fast-food chain uses the chemical azodicarbonamide as a whitening agent and dough conditioner in its baked goods. Although its use is decreasing in the United States because of concerns that it is a carcinogen, the FDA still permits it. It is banned in Europe.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Mike Mozart // Flickr
These popular breakfast cereals contain BHT, a flavor enhancer, which has long been studied for its potential carcinogenic properties; the evidence is inconclusive. It is banned in Japan and the European Union.
Mike Mozart // Flickr
These popular breakfast cereals contain BHT, a flavor enhancer, which has long been studied for its potential carcinogenic properties; the evidence is inconclusive. It is banned in Japan and the European Union.
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
BrokenSphere // Wikipedia Commons
Trans fats like the partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils in Coffee-mate are linked to heart disease and were officially banned in the U.S. as of June 18, 2018. However, they still linger in the U.S. food supply. There are also mandatory limits on trans fats in many other countries such as Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark.
BrokenSphere // Wikipedia Commons
Trans fats like the partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils in Coffee-mate are linked to heart disease and were officially banned in the U.S. as of June 18, 2018. However, they still linger in the U.S. food supply. There are also mandatory limits on trans fats in many other countries such as Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Roundhere44 // Wikipedia Commons
You can make stuffing in just five minutes with this popular Kraft product. But the mix contains preservatives BHA and BHT, which are suspected to be carcinogenic and to impair blood clotting. This has caused these preservatives to be banned in the United Kingdom, Japan, and several European countries.
Roundhere44 // Wikipedia Commons
You can make stuffing in just five minutes with this popular Kraft product. But the mix contains preservatives BHA and BHT, which are suspected to be carcinogenic and to impair blood clotting. This has caused these preservatives to be banned in the United Kingdom, Japan, and several European countries.
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Thomson200 // Wikipedia Commons
Drumstick uses carrageenan for texture in its ice cream, but the additive that is derived from seaweed can affect the human digestive system. The adverse effects have caused the European Union to limit it in products like baby food.
Thomson200 // Wikipedia Commons
Drumstick uses carrageenan for texture in its ice cream, but the additive that is derived from seaweed can affect the human digestive system. The adverse effects have caused the European Union to limit it in products like baby food.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
rvlsoft // Shutterstock
When consumers are tasting the rainbow of this popular candy, they are also ingesting food dyes Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40. These dyes have been known to have adverse effects on young children. They are banned in foods for infants in the European Union, and foods that contain the dyes must carry a warning label. Norway and Austria ban them completely.
rvlsoft // Shutterstock
When consumers are tasting the rainbow of this popular candy, they are also ingesting food dyes Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40. These dyes have been known to have adverse effects on young children. They are banned in foods for infants in the European Union, and foods that contain the dyes must carry a warning label. Norway and Austria ban them completely.
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Evan-Amos // Wikipedia Commons
To add freshness to a package of Wheat Thins, Nabisco adds BHT to the packaging. The chemical is banned in the United Kingdom, Japan, and parts of Europe.
Evan-Amos // Wikipedia Commons
To add freshness to a package of Wheat Thins, Nabisco adds BHT to the packaging. The chemical is banned in the United Kingdom, Japan, and parts of Europe.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Mike Mozart // Flickr
This sports drink claims to replenish electrolytes, but it also contains food dyes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. These artificial colors are banned in foods for infants and children in the European Union, and they must also carry warnings on all other products there. They are completely banned in Norway and Austria.
Mike Mozart // Flickr
This sports drink claims to replenish electrolytes, but it also contains food dyes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. These artificial colors are banned in foods for infants and children in the European Union, and they must also carry warnings on all other products there. They are completely banned in Norway and Austria.
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Mike Mozart // Flickr
The colorful breakfast pastry contains food dyes Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40, which are still deemed safe to eat domestically but are partially banned in the European Union.
Mike Mozart // Flickr
The colorful breakfast pastry contains food dyes Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40, which are still deemed safe to eat domestically but are partially banned in the European Union.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Steven Depolo // Flickr
This breakfast food uses the flavor enhancer BHT, a suspected carcinogen that is banned in the European Union and Japan.
Steven Depolo // Flickr
This breakfast food uses the flavor enhancer BHT, a suspected carcinogen that is banned in the European Union and Japan.
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Sarah Mahala Photography & Makeup Artistry // Wikipedia Commons
This colorful breakfast cereal gets its rainbow hue by using additives Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40, which must contain warning labels in the European Union. They are also banned in Norway and Austria. They are permitted in the U.S. even though they are known to cause itching and hives for some.
Sarah Mahala Photography & Makeup Artistry // Wikipedia Commons
This colorful breakfast cereal gets its rainbow hue by using additives Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40, which must contain warning labels in the European Union. They are also banned in Norway and Austria. They are permitted in the U.S. even though they are known to cause itching and hives for some.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Buenosia Carol // Pexels
Potassium bromate is added to bread dough as a strengthener that creates a higher rise, reduces baking time and cost, and gives finished loaves a bright white color. But the chemical is also linked to cancer, nervous system damage, and kidney damage. Potassium bromate is banned in the United Kingdom, Canada, Peru, and many other countries, but is still ubiquitous in many American bread products including bagel chips, rolls, and even breadcrumbs.
Buenosia Carol // Pexels
Potassium bromate is added to bread dough as a strengthener that creates a higher rise, reduces baking time and cost, and gives finished loaves a bright white color. But the chemical is also linked to cancer, nervous system damage, and kidney damage. Potassium bromate is banned in the United Kingdom, Canada, Peru, and many other countries, but is still ubiquitous in many American bread products including bagel chips, rolls, and even breadcrumbs.
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Mark Morgan // Flickr
The bright color of Tostitos Salsa Con Queso Dip is derived by food additives Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. These artificial colors are banned in Norway and Austria and must contain warnings on labels in the European Union.
Mark Morgan // Flickr
The bright color of Tostitos Salsa Con Queso Dip is derived by food additives Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. These artificial colors are banned in Norway and Austria and must contain warnings on labels in the European Union.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Mike Mozart // Flickr
Nabisco's Ritz is among the leading cracker brands in the United States. Its namesake cracker contains partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, which is a trans fat that is currently banned domestically and is limited in many other countries like Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark.
Mike Mozart // Flickr
Nabisco's Ritz is among the leading cracker brands in the United States. Its namesake cracker contains partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, which is a trans fat that is currently banned domestically and is limited in many other countries like Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark.
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Dave Winer // Flickr
This grapefruit-flavored citrus drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company contains flame retardant bromine to prevent the separation of ingredients. BVO is banned in Europe.
Dave Winer // Flickr
This grapefruit-flavored citrus drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company contains flame retardant bromine to prevent the separation of ingredients. BVO is banned in Europe.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Janine // Wikipedia Commons
In the United States and parts of Asia, farmers are cultivating virus-resistant variants of the fruit. These genetically engineered offshoots are legal to eat in the U.S. and Canada, but illegal in the European Union.
Janine // Wikipedia Commons
In the United States and parts of Asia, farmers are cultivating virus-resistant variants of the fruit. These genetically engineered offshoots are legal to eat in the U.S. and Canada, but illegal in the European Union.
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Carissa Rogers // Flickr
The Pillsbury Doughboy's biscuits make it simple to have freshly baked bread in minutes. However, these baked goods also contain trans fats in the form of partially hydrogenated soybean oil, which is known to cause heart disease.
Carissa Rogers // Flickr
The Pillsbury Doughboy's biscuits make it simple to have freshly baked bread in minutes. However, these baked goods also contain trans fats in the form of partially hydrogenated soybean oil, which is known to cause heart disease.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Mike Mozart // Flickr
The citrus drink contains artificial colors that are restricted in Europe. Products that contain Yellow 6 and Red 40 must include warning labels in the European Union. These dyes are also banned in Norway and Austria.
Mike Mozart // Flickr
The citrus drink contains artificial colors that are restricted in Europe. Products that contain Yellow 6 and Red 40 must include warning labels in the European Union. These dyes are also banned in Norway and Austria.
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
LunaseeStudios // Shutterstock
Baking brownies couldn't be easier with this popular mix. However, a closer look at the ingredients reveals the product still contains trans fats in the form of partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oil. Trans fats were recently banned in the U.S., but a few still remain. They are also heavily limited in Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark.
LunaseeStudios // Shutterstock
Baking brownies couldn't be easier with this popular mix. However, a closer look at the ingredients reveals the product still contains trans fats in the form of partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oil. Trans fats were recently banned in the U.S., but a few still remain. They are also heavily limited in Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Internet Archive Book Images // Flickr
Pillsbury brings the convenience of a ready-made pie crust to kitchens across the country. However, this product is banned in the United Kingdom, Japan, and parts of Europe because it contains both BHA and BHT. The substances are suspected to be carcinogenic and have been linked to impaired blood clotting.
Internet Archive Book Images // Flickr
Pillsbury brings the convenience of a ready-made pie crust to kitchens across the country. However, this product is banned in the United Kingdom, Japan, and parts of Europe because it contains both BHA and BHT. The substances are suspected to be carcinogenic and have been linked to impaired blood clotting.
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
ray_explores // Flickr
This popular jiggling dessert is low in calories and free from artificial sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup. But its color is far from natural. It contains Red 40, which is restricted in Europe and illegal in Norway and Austria.
ray_explores // Flickr
This popular jiggling dessert is low in calories and free from artificial sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup. But its color is far from natural. It contains Red 40, which is restricted in Europe and illegal in Norway and Austria.
-
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Michelle Lee Photography // Shutterstock
This sweetener—made from pure fructose and sugar—is linked to a variety of ailments like obesity and Type 2 diabetes. It's found in everything from beverages to cereals and ice cream. While it isn't banned specifically in any country, the U.K. and some European countries have restricted the products and placed them under quota limitations.
Michelle Lee Photography // Shutterstock
This sweetener—made from pure fructose and sugar—is linked to a variety of ailments like obesity and Type 2 diabetes. It's found in everything from beverages to cereals and ice cream. While it isn't banned specifically in any country, the U.K. and some European countries have restricted the products and placed them under quota limitations.
-
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
domdomegg // Wikipedia Commons
Olestra is a fat substitute the FDA approved in 1996 to make snacks and chips guilt-free. However, side effects of the additive include abdominal cramping and loose stools. The fat substitute also inhibits the absorption of vitamins and nutrients. It's banned in Canada and many European countries.
domdomegg // Wikipedia Commons
Olestra is a fat substitute the FDA approved in 1996 to make snacks and chips guilt-free. However, side effects of the additive include abdominal cramping and loose stools. The fat substitute also inhibits the absorption of vitamins and nutrients. It's banned in Canada and many European countries.
