Review by 8 International Experts Is the Most Comprehensive Ever
NEW YORK, Sept. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- A new review of aspartame research -- the most comprehensive ever conducted -- once again has concluded the widely used sugar substitute is safe, even among its heaviest users.
The review, "Aspartame: A Safety Evaluation Based on Current Use Levels, Regulations, and Toxicological and Epidemiological Studies," published in the September issue of Informa Healthcare's Critical Reviews in Toxicology (Volume 37, Issue 8, pp. 629-727), also identified serious flaws in two recent European studies that claimed to find a link between aspartame and cancer in rats.
The 98-page, peer-reviewed evaluation was carried out by a panel of eight internationally recognized scientists. It considered more than 500 studies, articles and reports conducted over the last 25 years on the health effects of aspartame, including unpublished works submitted to the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services for regulatory approvals of the ingredient. The study was conducted in a manner that is consistent with the Food and Drug Administration process for evaluating new food ingredients before entry into the marketplace.
"The weight of existing evidence is that aspartame is safe at current levels of consumption...," the experts concluded. "No credible evidence was found that aspartame is carcinogenic, neurotoxic, or has any other adverse effect on health when consumed even at quantities many times the established ADI [Acceptable Daily Intake] levels."
As part of its review, the panel applied the most recent food consumption survey information to estimate current aspartame intake. Despite its popularity, the average among those who use the sweetener is very low, only 4.9 milligrams per kilogram of body weight daily, a fraction of the government-approved upper intake level of 50 milligrams per kilogram per day.
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