Aspartame
أسبارتام
Sweetener (artificial)
Cancer-classified by WHO in 2023 - skip if you can.
Why this verdict
IARC Group 2B (2023, hepatocellular carcinoma signal). JECFA reaffirmed ADI same year. Active scientific contestation between hazard identification and risk assessment.
What It Is
Artificial sweetener about 200x sweeter than sugar. Common in diet sodas, sugar-free gum, and some yogurts.
The same sweetener in your Diet Coke was classified 'possibly carcinogenic to humans' by WHO/IARC in July 2023. JECFA kept the safety limit at 40 mg/kg the same day. The science is genuinely contested - and the regulators don't agree.
Evidence & Status
IARC Carcinogen Group
2B
Acceptable Intake
0-40 mg/kg bw/day (reaffirmed 2023)
EU Status
Approved
US · FDA Status
Approved (GRAS)
Halal Status: Halal
Synthesized chemically; no animal or alcohol sources. Halal across all major schools.
Worth Knowing
Also Known As
NutraSweet · Equal · AminoSweet · E 951
Primary Source
Evidence, not medical advice. You decide.
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