The World Health Organization (WHO) labeled aspartame, one of the sweeteners most widely used by the food industry, as "possibly carcinogenic to humans."
"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," explained Francesco Branca, WHO's director of nutrition and food safety.
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.
WHO's statement follows research by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
IARC acknowledged that, for the time being, the evidence that aspartame is carcinogenic is limited, both for humans and animals.
"The findings underscore the need for more research to refine our understanding on whether consumption of aspartame poses a carcinogenic hazard," stated Dr. Mary Schubauer-Berigan of the IARC Monographs program.
Should we consume less?
Despite the partial conclusions of the WHO, the recommended daily intake of this artificial sweetener remains the same: a maximum of 40 mg per kilogram of body weight.
Therefore, to know the limit established by the WHO, the individual's weight in kilograms (2.2 pounds) must be multiplied by 40. The result will be the recommended limit of milligrams one should consume in a day.
