May 18, 2006 – Aspartame is not harmful to health, Health Canada reaffirms following review1 results of a study showing a link between aspartame and cancer.
The Ramazzini Foundation in Italy published results last year2 which indicated a relationship between aspartame consumption and increased risk of certain cancers, including leukemia and lymphoma. The study was performed on laboratory animals. In their conclusions, the researchers urged public authorities to review the permitted doses.
In Canada, as in Europe and the United States, experts from public bodies have criticized these findings, pointing to certain flaws in the study. In particular, they believe that the increased risk of cancer may be linked to an underlying inflammatory lung disease present in the rats in the study. They also point out that numerous toxicological tests and studies on the issue have been carried out all over the world for more than twenty years.
Health Canada considers that there is no need to review the restrictions already in place in the food and drug regulations1. Nevertheless, the raw data of the study, obtained from the Foundation in recent weeks, is currently the subject of further analysis by a scientific committee at Health Canada.
The European Food Safety Authority also concluded that this study by the Ramazzini Foundation did not provide a scientific basis to reconsider the safety of aspartame or its acceptable daily intake (dja).3. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has indicated its intention to reexamine the research findings, which contradict those of a recent study by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
In Canada, as in Europe, the acceptable daily intake is 40 mg / kg body weight. This is the dose established jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO)4.
Aspartame in a nutshell … Although 200 times sweeter than table sugar, aspartame is virtually calorie-free. This artificial sweetener was discovered by an American scientist in 1965. But it was not until 1981 that it has been authorized in the United States and Canada. It has since gained interest in the food industry due to its low calorie intake. It is used, among other things, in the composition of diet sodas and in a host of products intended for people who care about their weight. It is also widely used in place of sugar by hundreds of millions of consumers around the world. It is marketed as NutraSweet and Égal in North America and Canderel in France. Since its introduction, aspartame has been the subject of controversy. It has already been associated with various ailments (dizziness, visual problems, pain, muscle cramps), but also with more serious diseases such as cancer. So far, public authorities have rejected the results of studies that have linked aspartame to various health disorders. |
Claudia Morissette and Johanne Lauzon – PasseportSanté.net
According to Foodnavigator.com.
1. For more details on the position of the Canadian Department of Health: www.hc-sc.gc.ca [consulté le 18 mai 2006].
2. The study was published in theEnvironmental Health Perspectives, in November 2005, and in theEuropean Journal of Oncology, in June 2005. It is accessible at this address: www.ramazzini.it [consulté le 18 mai 2006].
3. For more details on the position of the European Food Safety Authority, an agency of the European Union: www.efsa.eu.int [consulté le 18 mai 2006].