Five questions about aspartame – the Swedish Food Agency’s expert answers
The WHO’s cancer research agency IARC now places the sweetener aspartame in cancer class 2 b, which is the lowest class. There are substances that are possibly, but not certainly, carcinogenic, for example aloe vera and lactic acid vegetables.
In class 2 a there is, among other things, red meat and in group 1, which is the highest class, cigarette smoking is found. So what does the new classification mean?
– This means that aspartame may cause cancer in humans. At the same time, the IARC says that more studies are needed to clarify questions. We draw the same conclusion today as we did before the report came out – that it is safe to drink up to four liters of diet soda a day, although of course we do not recommend it, says Johan Ålander, toxicologist at the Swedish Food Agency.
“A well-studied subject”
He explains that aspartame has been used in Sweden since 1980 and that the two substances that aspartame is made of are found naturally in the body.
– Aspartame is a well-studied substance. If it had been dangerous, it should have been caught earlier, says Johan Ålander.
At present, the Swedish Food Agency will not change its recommendations regarding aspartame.
In the clip, Johan Ålander explains why the Swedish Food Agency’s assessment is that it is safe to continue drinking diet soda in the amounts that are recommended today.