On July 14, 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization listed aspartame as "probably carcinogenic to humans". The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (JECFA) has published "the risk assessment conclusion of aspartame is maintained and it does not pose a health hazard to consumers at current dosage and range". Aspartame is a legal food additive approved by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and China, the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea and other countries.

The risk of carcinogenic substances is usually determined by two factors. One is carcinogenic ability, the IARC, mainly based on human epidemiological investigation and case reports, animal tests and biological mechanism research, divides the strength of carcinogenic evidence into 1, 2A, 2B and 3 categories (of which 1 is carcinogenic to humans, 2A is likely to be carcinogenic to humans, 2B is likely to be carcinogenic to humans but lacks sufficient scientific evidence, and 3 cannot be classified); the other is the level of exposure, which refers to the amount of the harmful substance the body actually ingests or contacts with. The IARC classifies aspartame as 2B possible carcinogenic substance, indicating that the scientific evidence of its carcinogenicity in humans is not sufficient and further research is needed. The safety of its use can be guaranteed by controlling and managing its dosage.

The CAC approved that aspartame can be used in frozen drinks, chewing gum, candy, baked goods, aquatic products, condiments, carbonated beverages, etc., with a maximum usage of 0.3g/kg~10.0g/kg. The scope of use and maximum usage of aspartame are strictly regulated and managed by national food safety standards in China. The CAC and the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan and other countries and regions have also adopted the same or similar standards.

The China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment and the National Cancer Center combined JECF's latest evaluation results and the consumption of Chinese residents to conduct safety assessment, where aspartame can ensure safety in accordance with the current standards and norms in China. We will continue to monitor the risk assessment dynamics of organizations and institutions such as IARC and JECFA, as well as responses and measures of other countries, to ensure the bottom line of food safety through the most stringent standards and the strictest supervision.

Source: CFSA

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