Diet Coke’s Sweetener To Be Classified As Cancer-causing Ingredient

The artificial sweetener used in Diet Coke, Aspartame, is to be classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as an ingredient that causes cancer.

Aspartame is used by companies producing low-calorie products, however, it is 200 times sweeter than sugar, but its usage might begin to drop as IARC plans to list it among cancer-causing substances on 14 July.

This was revealed by Reuters, which cited two sources in its report on the latest research by IARC, the cancer research arm of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

There have been several controversies surrounding Aspartame, which is also used in chewing gums, but it is approved by food safety bodies.

However, for the first time, after a review of about 1,300 studies on aspartame and cancer by IARC’s external experts in June, it will be declared as a “possibly carcinogenic (cancer-causing) to humans”.

Also, JECFA, the additives expert committee of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and WHO,  are looking into the usage of Aspartame, and are billed to give their findings on the same day IARC will declare the ingredient as a cancer-causing substance.

The additives committee “conducts risk assessment, which determines the probability of a specific type of harm (e.g. cancer) to occur under certain conditions and levels of exposure,” Reuters reported.

Although JECFA has often maintained that Aspartame is not harmful if taken within the accepted limit, stating that for an adult weighing 60 kg (132 pounds) to be at risk, the person must have drank between 12 and 36 cans of diet soda.

This statement is backed by the United States and Europe national regulators.

Meanwhile, regulators in the United States and Japan have expressed concern over the decisions of IARC and JECFA to release their findings on the same day, stating that it might cause confusion.

In a letter by an official from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Nozomi Tomita, dated March 27, Japan said: “We kindly ask both bodies to coordinate their efforts in reviewing aspartame to avoid any confusion or concerns among the public.”