The Controversy Surrounding Aspartame's Carcinogenic Potential
Aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in around 6,000 food products globally, is expected to be added to the World Health Organization's list of "possible human carcinogens" in July. The list, compiled by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, categorizes items into four groups based on the evidence of their carcinogenicity. Group 2B, which will include aspartame, consists of items with limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and sufficient evidence in experimental animals. Other items in this group include bracken ferns, aloe vera extract, and traditional Asian pickled vegetables. The WHO guidelines do not quantify the risk or recommend exposure limits for Group 2B substances.