According to sources familiar with the matter, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), is expected to designate aspartame as a “possible carcinogen to humans” next month. Aspartame is commonly used in various products, including Coca-Cola diet sodas, Mars’ Extra chewing gum, and certain Snapple drinks.
The IARC’s ruling, finalized after a recent meeting of external experts, aims to evaluate potential hazards based on published evidence, disregarding safe consumption levels. Individual consumption guidelines are provided separately by the WHO’s Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and national regulators. Previous IARC decisions regarding different substances have raised concerns among consumers, resulting in legal actions and prompting manufacturers to seek alternatives, leading to criticism of the IARC’s assessments for being unclear to the public.
JECFA, which is also reviewing aspartame this year, is expected to announce its findings on the same day as the IARC—July 14. Since 1981, JECFA has stated that aspartame is safe within acceptable daily limits. National regulators, including those in the United States and Europe, have widely supported this view.
While the IARC and JECFA findings are confidential until July, an IARC spokesperson stated that they are complementary, with the IARC’s conclusion being the initial step toward understanding carcinogenicity. The additives committee of JECFA focuses on risk assessment, which determines the probability of harm, such as cancer, under specific exposure conditions.
Industry and regulators have expressed concerns about the simultaneous timing of both processes, calling for the release of conclusions from both bodies on the same day, a request that is now being honored.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), is expected to designate aspartame as a “possible carcinogen to humans” next month. Aspartame is commonly used in various products, including Coca-Cola diet sodas, Mars’ Extra chewing gum, and certain Snapple drinks.
The IARC’s ruling, finalized after a recent meeting of external experts, aims to evaluate potential hazards based on published evidence, disregarding safe consumption levels. Individual consumption guidelines are provided separately by the WHO’s Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and national regulators. Previous IARC decisions regarding different substances have raised concerns among consumers, resulting in legal actions and prompting manufacturers to seek alternatives, leading to criticism of the IARC’s assessments for being unclear to the public.
JECFA, which is also reviewing aspartame this year, is expected to announce its findings on the same day as the IARC—July 14. Since 1981, JECFA has stated that aspartame is safe within acceptable daily limits. National regulators, including those in the United States and Europe, have widely supported this view.
While the IARC and JECFA findings are confidential until July, an IARC spokesperson stated that they are complementary, with the IARC’s conclusion being the initial step toward understanding carcinogenicity. The additives committee of JECFA focuses on risk assessment, which determines the probability of harm, such as cancer, under specific exposure conditions.
Industry and regulators have expressed concerns about the simultaneous timing of both processes, calling for the release of conclusions from both bodies on the same day.
