ONE of the world’s most common artificial sweeteners could soon be declared a potential cancer-causing agent.
Aspartame is used in a number of everyday products, including Coke Zero and some chewing gums, and there are reports it could now be ruled as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the World Health Organisation.
An ingredient used in a number of everyday products like fizzy drinks could be set to be declared a possible cancer riskREUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
Currently, it has not been confirmed whether the ingredient is being labelled a cancer risk – or how much of it would need to be consumed for it to be considered dangerous.
What does carcinogenic mean?
If something is carcinogenic it means it is a substance, organism or agent that has the potential to cause cancer.
Well-known carcinogens include asbestos, radon, tobacco and nickel.
Carcinogens do not always cause cancer and exposure is not always dangerous.
According to cancer.org, some carcinogens may only be carcinogenic if a person is exposed to it in a certain way – for example, swallowing it as opposed to touching it – while others may only cause cancer in people who have a certain genetic makeup.
A very small amount of exposure may be enough for some carcinogens to become dangerous, while others would require “intense exposure over many years”.
What products contain potentially carcinogenic ingredient aspartame?
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener considered 200 times as potent as regular granulated sugar.
It is used in many zero-sugar or diet fizzy drinks like Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Dr Pepper Zero, and Pepsi Max, as well as sugar-free gums, like Extra and Mentos Pure Fresh Gum.
Low-fat and diet yogurts and jellies, such as Hartley’s Sugar Free Jelly, also use the sweetener to replace regular sugar.
It is not just used in diet products, however, with Fanta, Lucozade and Sprite, as well as Robinsons and Ribena, listing it in the ingredients of some of their products.
Reports in June 2023 said that aspartame could be designated as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the World Health Organisation‘s cancer research arm.
Sources told Reuters that a ruling on whether the sweetener is a potential hazard or not should come in July.
WHO said the ruling will be “the first fundamental step to understand [its] carcinogenicity”.
Separate advice on how much is safe to consume will also be issued by a WHO expert committee on food additives known as JECFA.
Both decisions are expected to be announced on July 14.
Since it entered the market in 1981, JECFA has said aspartame is safe to consume within accepted daily limits.
Current advice from the committee states that an adult weighing 60kg (132 pounds) would have to drink between 12 and 36 cans of a diet drink containing aspartame – depending on the amount of aspartame in the can – every day for there to be any health risks.
What ingredients are in Coke Zero?
Coke Zero contains carbonated water, colouring, phosphoric acid, and two sweeteners – aspartame and acesulfame-K.
The recipe also contains natural flavourings and an acidity regulator called sodium citrates.
Most of the ingredients are the same as Diet Coke, although the zero drink contains potassium citrate and acesulfame potassium – which Diet Coke does not.
Diet Coke also contains citric acid, which is not in Coke Zero.
Coca‑Cola says their zero sugar drink looks and tastes more like classic Coca‑Cola, while Diet Coke has a different blend of flavours.