Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: IE
Context: The cancer research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), is reportedly set to list the artificial sweetener aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
- If confirmed, would go against previous studies that have found no evidence of harm caused by aspartame.
About Aspartame:
- Aspartame is widely used as a sugar substitute in various food and beverage products, including diet soft drinks, chewing gum, and breakfast cereals
The IARC’s assessment does not take into account safe consumption levels, which are determined by the Joint Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and national regulators.
Other examples of artificial sweeteners are: Sucralose, Saccharin, Stevia, Neotame
