"Bellwing" experts for one of the most widespread sugar substitutes in the world, which is to be declared as possibly carcinogenic by a leading global health organization. Relevant announcements are expected next month, according to sources with knowledge of the process.
This is aspartame, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Mars Extra chewing gum. It is expected to be listed in July as "probably carcinogenic to humans" for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer research arm, the sources cited by Reuters said. .
The IARC decision, which was finalized earlier this month after a meeting of the group's experts, aims to assess whether something is a potential risk or not, based on all the published evidence.
IARC does not take into account how much of a product a person can safely consume. These guidelines come from a separate WHO expert committee on food additives, known as JECFA (the joint WHO-Food and Agriculture Organization expert committee on food additives), alongside regulations from national regulatory authorities.
However, similar IARC decisions in the past on various substances - which have caused concern among consumers - have resulted in lawsuits. This has led to criticism that IARC's assessments may confuse the public.
JECFA, the WHO Committee on Food Additives, is also reviewing the use of aspartame this year. Its meeting began at the end of June and it is expected to announce its findings on the same day that the IARC will make its decision public - on 14 July.
