On July 14, the official website of the World Health Organization (WHO) officially announced the news that aspartame may be carcinogenic to humans, and classified aspartame as a substance that may be carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).
The results are the result of a joint assessment of the health effects of aspartame published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) emphasized that the acceptable daily intake of aspartame is 40 mg/kg (body weight), and a person's daily consumption within this limit is safe. Assuming no other sources of aspartame ingestion, a 70kg adult would need to consume more than 9-14 cans per day to exceed the acceptable intake by drinking a beverage containing 200-300mg of aspartame per can.
The assessment of the health risks of aspartame by the IARC and JECFA committees is based on a series of scientific data collected, including peer-reviewed papers, government reports and studies for regulatory purposes. The results show that aspartame has insufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and convincing evidence of carcinogenicity in animals.
As a synthetic sweetener, Aspartame has been used in various food and beverages since the early 1980s, including sugar free drinks, chewing gum, ice cream, yogurt and other dairy products, as well as breakfast cereals, toothpaste, cough medicine and vitamins.
So what will be the alternatives if Aspartame causes cancer?
Now the natural sweetener are more attractive, Herben Biotech will recomand some natural sweeteners for you.
1.Sweetening agent extracted from Cape beans
This sweetener is made from the fruit of the carob tree and is extracted from the seedless pods. It can be used in various food and beverage products in the form of syrup. This sweetener contains D-pine alcohol components, trace amounts of soluble fiber, and polyphenols, with a mild sweetness and low GI characteristics. It also has the characteristics of less processing and easy addition to formulas.
2.A New Scheme of Sucrose+Chicory+Natural Flavors
A sugar substitution scheme combining 30% sucrose with dietary fiber such as chicory and natural spices has been developed on the market, which can increase the sweetness of sugar by nearly three times. The company did not disclose the source of these natural spices to the public. According to Herben Biotech, the appearance, taste, and function of this solution are the same as sucrose, and it can be used in various desserts, including ice cream, baked goods, biscuits, chocolate, soft candy, and meal substitutes.
3.Brazzein
Brazzein, which is 2,000 times sweeter than sucrose, is found in very small amounts in the fruit, so some manufacture used genetically engineered yeast strains to produce the same protein in fermenters. Since there is no detectably modified DNA from the host microbe (Pichia strain) in the finished product, it will not be labeled as a "bioengineered" food ingredient in the United States.
4. Coconut Sugar
Coconut sugar is obtained by extracting coconut flowers. Its taste and color are similar to caramel, and it can replace sucrose at a ratio of 1:1. Its glycemic index is 35, which is lower than that of sucrose. It is also rich in various vitamins and minerals, and is very popular in the markets. According to the sales data of major sweeteners in the United States in the past year released by SPINS in early 2022, coconut sugar is the fastest-growing sweetener in beverages, with a growth rate of 21.1%.
It should be noted that only coconut trees over 8 years old have coconut flower nectar, and each coconut tree can collect 0.5-1 kg of sap per day, and 7 kg of sap can be made into about 1 kg of coconut flower sugar. So its cost is very high.
If you still have more questions, please contact Herben biotech and we will recomand more alternatives for you.
