(Reuters) – Aspartame, one of the world’s most popular sweeteners, has been deemed a “possible carcinogen” by two groups linked to the World Health Organization, though it remains safe for consumption at already-agreed levels.
The sugar substitute, used in products from diet sodas to sugar-free yoghurts and cough drops, is a combination of two amino acids – phenylalanine and aspartic.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which approved aspartame in 1974, advises that products carry a warning label for Phenylketonurics – people with a rare genetic disorder who have difficulty in breaking down phenylalanine.
Below are some food and beverage companies that mention aspartame on their product label:
Name of Parent Company Aspartame Warning label
product mentioned in for
ingredient Phenylketonuri
list cs
Diet Coke Coca-Cola Yes Yes
Diet Fanta Coca-Cola Yes Yes
Diet Sprite Coca-Cola Yes No
Diet Pepsi PepsiCo Yes Yes
Wild Cherry
Diet Mountain PepsiCo Yes Yes
Dew
Pepsi Zero PepsiCo Yes No
Sugar and
Diet Pepsi
Diet Mug Root PepsiCo Yes Yes
beer
Halls sugar Mondelez Yes Yes
free drops International
Mrs. Conagra Brands Yes No
Butterworth’s
sugar free
syrup
Snapple zero Keurig Dr Yes No
sugar tea and Pepper
juice drinks
Jell-O sugar Kraft Heinz Yes Yes
free gelatin
dessert mix
Mentos Pure Perfetti Van Yes Yes
Fresh Gum in Melle
fresh mint,
spearmint,
sweet mint
flavors
Equal zero Whole Earth Yes Yes
calorie Brand
sweetener
Trident sugar Mondelez Yes Yes
free International
peppermint
gum
Extra Mars Yes Yes
Spearmint
sugarfree
chewing gum
Sugar Twin 2 B&G Foods Yes Yes
sweetener
packets
Cary’s sugar B&G Foods Yes Yes
free low
calorie syrup
Source: US FDA, NCBI, company websites
(Reporting by Granth Vanaik, Juveria Tabassum and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
