Aspartame is “possible carcinogen”. This is the opinion of the World Health Organization, WHO, after a collective study that resulted in a reclassification of the sweetener.
– Right now there is no reason for us to change any recommendations, says Johan Ålander, toxicologist at the Swedish Food Agency.
Aspartame is a sweetener, made up of two amino acids, which is approved for use within the EU. But in a new report from the WHO, it is not excluded that the substance can be carcinogenic.
– The new thing is that they looked at the studies that are available to see if there is any danger with aspartame. Of the around 1,300 studies they looked at, there were five that showed that in animal studies it could cause cancer in the animals, he says and adds:
– But the data is still very shaky, but since you cannot rule it out, they have chosen the lowest classification instead, says Johan Ålander.
However, the new classification does not mean that the Swedish Food Agency will adjust its recommendations regarding daily intake.
– The new classification means that aspartame ends up in the same category as aloe vera and pickled vegetables. I don’t want to downplay the danger in any way, but I myself am not particularly concerned about this cancer classification, he says.
That’s how much soda you can drink
The Swedish Food Agency’s recommendations regarding daily intake of aspartame means that you can drink approximately four liters of diet soda a day. Recommendations based on studies from the EU.
– In order to reach the maximum acceptable daily intake, you must drink four liters of soda, if you weigh 60 kilos. So it’s relatively a lot of soda, he says and continues:
– Then I would perhaps think about reducing my soda consumption if I drank four liters a day.
Since aspartame is about 200 times as sweet as regular sugar, it is hard to argue with daily intake.
– It’s very sweet. You have to add very little to get this taste of sweetness, he says.
Aspartame has been used in Sweden for several decades and consists of amino acids that are found both in our body and in food naturally.