articleAspartame – one of the most common artificial sweeteners in the world – is slated to be declared a possible carcinogen by the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer research agency next month, according to a report. Aspartame – which is 200 times sweeter than table sugar – is found in several products, including Coca-Cola diet sodas, sugar-free Ricola cough drops and certain sugar-free Extra chewing gum products . It is also sold as a tabletop sweetener under the brand names Equal, Nutrasweet and Sugar Twin. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved aspartame in 1974 for use as a tabletop sweetener and in various products. Since then, the FDA has approved aspartame for other uses, including as a general-purpose sweetener in 1996.

Source: The Star June 29, 2023 21:40 UTC