Commonly used sweetener aspartame considered carcinogenic by WHO

Aspartame can be found in about 6000 products including soft drinks and other low-calorie drinks, according to the Calorie Control Council.

Reuters has reported the cancer research arm of WHO is set to declare the product a "possible carcinogen to humans".

International Council of Beverages Associations (ICBA) executive director Kate Loatman criticised the imminent ruling by the WHO.

"Public health authorities should be deeply concerned that this leaked opinion contradicts decades of high-quality scientific evidence and could needlessly mislead consumers into consuming more sugar rather than choosing safe no- and low sugar options - all on the basis of low-quality studies."

The low calorie sweetener has been used for decades as a way to lower the intake of added sugar in food and beverage products.

The latest findings comes despite more than 200 studies supporting its safety.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its use in dry foods in 1981, in carbonated drinks in 1983 and as a general-purpose sweetener in 1996.

On May 15, 2023, WHO released new guidelines advising people "not to use non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) for weight control."

"Results of the review also suggest that there may be potential undesirable effects from long-term use of NSS, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults," the report said.

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Last year, an observational study in France among 100,000 adults showed people who consumed large amounts of artificial sweeteners had a slightly higher risk of cancer.

Monash University emeritus professor Mark Wahlqvist said the advice raises a "general health concern, and not only a matter of risk from cancer."

"There is now no acceptable public health justification for their [artificial sweeteners] promotion in weight management," he said.

"Perhaps more than any other consideration is that these sweeteners are found in processed foods."