July 31, 2023
Life Sciences | Tea Leaves
  • For the first time, a semi-independent committee for the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday it has determined that aspartame, a popular artificial sweetener found in thousands of products like diet sodas and sugar-free gum, should be categorized as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” The committee also noted that “safety is not a major concern” in the quantities people would normally consume. The designation means that some of the research reviewed by WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) shows that there may be a possible link between aspartame and liver cancer, but that science is not conclusive like it is for a substance like asbestos or tobacco. (Articles herehere, and here)