Aspartame Deemed Safe By Expert Panel

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Money talks:

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070914183700.htm

 

Their study is published in the September issue of Critical

Reviews in Toxicology. It was funded by Ajinomoto Company

Inc., a manufacturer of aspartame.

 

 

Aspartame Deemed Safe By Expert Panel

 

September 14, 2007

 

Science Daily -- A sweeping review of research studies of

aspartame says there is no evidence that the non-nutritive

sweetener causes cancer, neurological damage or other health

problems in humans.

 

Looking at more than 500 reports, including toxicological,

clinical and epidemiological studies dating from 1970's

preclinical work to the latest studies on the high-intensity

sweetener, along with use levels and regulations data, an

international expert panel from 10 universities and medical

schools evaluated the safety of aspartame for people of all

ages and with a variety of health conditions.

 

Their study is published in the September issue of Critical

Reviews in Toxicology. It was funded by Ajinomoto Company

Inc., a manufacturer of aspartame.

 

" There have been continued questions in the media and on the

internet about the safety of aspartame, " said panel member and

University of Maryland food and nutrition professor Bernadene

Magnuson. " Our study is a very comprehensive review of all of

the research that's been done on aspartame. Never before has a

group with the breadth of experience of this panel looked at

this question. "

 

 

Aspartame

 

A non-nutritive sweetener, aspartame is approximately 200

times sweeter than sucrose, the accepted standard for

sweetness. Though aspartame has the same number of calories as

sugar on a weight-to-weight basis, it can be added to food or

pharmaceuticals at a fraction of what would be needed with

sucrose to achieve the same sweetness, with far fewer calories.

 

Aspartame was discovered by accident in 1965, and since then

has become a popular sweetener in more than 6000 food and

pharmaceutical products that range from soft drinks to ketchup.

 

 

Aspartame consumption

 

The panel used the latest data -- 2001-02 -- from the National

Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) to determine

the most current levels of aspartame consumption.

 

" Even the very highest consumers of aspartame are well below

the acceptable daily intake (ADI) and well below the amounts

used in animal testing, " said Magnuson.

 

 

Evaluation findings

 

The team reviewed studies that tested a number of health

effects of varying levels of aspartame, including amounts that

far exceed the acceptable daily intake, on animals and humans.

In addition to healthy adults and children, studies also

looked at effects on adults and children with diabetes,

hyperactive and sugar-sensitive children, and people with

Parkinson's disease and depression.

 

The Expert Panel's evaluation concluded the following:

 

Overall

 

. Aspartame is safe at current levels of consumption, which

remain well below established ADI levels, even among high

user sub-populations. No credible evidence was found that

aspartame is carcinogenic, neurotoxic or has or any other

adverse effects when consumed even at levels many times

the established ADI levels.

 

Specifically:

 

. Based on results of several long term studies, aspartame

does not have carcinogenic or cancer-promoting activity.

 

. Results of extensive investigation in studies that mimic

human exposure do not show any evidence of neurological

effects, such as memory and learning problems, of

aspartame consumption.

 

. Overall the weight of the evidence indicates that

aspartame has no effect on behavior, cognitive function,

neural function or seizures in any of the groups studied.

 

. Aspartame has not been shown to have adverse effects on

reproductive activity or lactation.

 

. Studies conclude that aspartame is safe for use by

diabetics and may aid diabetics in adhering to a

sugar-free diet.

 

. There is no evidence to support an association between

aspartame consumption and obesity. On the contrary, when

used in multidisciplinary weight control programs,

aspartame may actually aid in long-term weight control.

 

. The studies provide no evidence to support an

association between aspartame and brain or hematopoietic

tumor development.

 

 

Panel members

 

In addition to Bernadene Magnuson, the Expert Panel included:

George. A. Burdock, the Burdock Group; John Doull, University

of Kansas Medical School; Robert M. Kroes, Institute for Risk

Assessment Sciences, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Gary M Marsh,

University of Pittsburgh; Michael W. Pariza, University of

Wisconsin; Peter S. Spencer, Oregon Health and Science

University; William J. Waddell, University of Louisville

Medical School; Ronald Walker, University of Surrey, Great

Britain; and Gary M.Williams, New York Medical School.

 

" Aspartame: A Safety Evaluation Based on Current Use Levels,

Regulations and Toxicological and Epidemiological Studies " was

funded by unrestricted support from Ajinomoto Company, Inc.

Aspartame is one of Ajinomoto's core strategic products.

 

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Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued

by University of Maryland, College Park (http://www.umd.edu/).

 

 

 

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