Sweeteners


Of all the artifi cial sweeteners, aspartame has attracted the most controversy, frequently being linked to major health conditions, not least cancer. Opinions from regulatory bodies about its safety seem to confl ict, which is confusing for consumers. Jim Banks speaks to the experts at the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer and the International Sweeteners Association to explore whether aspartame is actually safe for human consumption.


Sweet and safe? T


he market for artificial sweeteners grows steadily with each passing year, as they find their way into more and more products, and as large segments of the consumer population seek to reduce their calorie intake. The global market for diet soft drinks, for example, was worth around $5.8bn in 2022, but some analysts expect it to exceed $9bn by 2030. Similarly, growth in the global market for aspartame – one of the most common sweeteners used in diet soft drinks – shows no sign of slowing. Having been introduced in the 1980s, it has become a staple ingredient in many food and beverage products, including chewing gum, ice cream, yoghurt, breakfast cereal and toothpaste, as well as diet


drinks. And, despite its growing popularity, its market could potentially grow even faster were it not for some dark clouds on the horizon. These clouds come in the form of some major health concerns. One of the latest research papers on the topic, ‘Aspartame carcinogenic potential revealed through network toxicology and molecular docking insights’ published by Nature in May 2024, suggests that aspartame, “has the potential to impact various cancer- related proteins, potentially raising the likelihood of cellular carcinogenesis by interfering with biomolecular function”. Furthermore, the study found that the action patterns and pathways of aspartame- related targets are like the mechanisms of known


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Ingredients Insight / www.ingredients-insight.com


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