WHO Flags Aspartame as Possible Cancer Risk – But It’s Safe in Moderation
Aspartame: Possible Cancer Link or Safe Sweetener?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has thrown a spotlight on aspartame, the artificial sweetener found in countless food and drinks, by labeling it “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” This cautious classification comes from the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which ranks aspartame in a lower-risk cancer category. More severe labels like “probably carcinogenic” and “carcinogenic” exist above it.
Experts Urge Calm: Sweetener Safe in Limits
The Food and Agricultural Organisation’s Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives confirms aspartame is safe if tucked away within daily limits — up to 40mg per kilogram of body weight. To hit that limit, a 70kg person would need to knock back roughly 9 to 14 cans of diet soda daily.
“We are not advising consumers to avoid aspartame but to consume it in moderation,” said Dr Francesco Branca, head of WHO’s Nutrition and Food Safety department.
Sweetener Ubiquity and Calls for Fresh Food Policies
Since the 1980s, aspartame has sweetened diet drinks, gum, yoghurts, ice cream, toothpaste, and even medicines like cough drops and chewable vitamins. Despite this wide use, both WHO and IARC call the evidence “limited” and are pushing for more research.
Harriet Burt from Queen Mary University of London’s World Action on Salt, Sugar & Health warns that the food industry should stop leaning so heavily on sweeteners. Instead, she urges manufacturers to reduce overall sweetness and excess sugars gradually — offering a healthier way forward without relying on artificial substitutes.
Time for Government Action
Burt added: “The UK government must craft a robust strategy to bring down sugar and product sweetness levels — including non-sugar sweeteners like aspartame — aligning with WHO guidance.”
The WHO and IARC vow to keep watching the science closely, urging independent studies to clarify aspartame’s true risks. For now, sweeteners like aspartame remain a “possible” concern, but safe for casual use.
