On Tuesday, the non-governmental organization “FoodWatch,” the French Cancer League, and the French nutrition app “Yuka” launched a joint petition aimed at banning the controversial sweetener aspartame, citing potential health risks.
The petition, which is being presented across 11 European countries (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland), seeks to “pressure European institutions to ban this additive and urges EU member states to take precautionary measures,” according to a joint statement.
“FoodWatch” highlighted that aspartame is found in over 6,000 products, particularly those labeled as “light,” such as certain sugar-free sodas, sugar-free yogurt, and chewing gum.
This artificial sweetener, approved for use in France since 1988, has sparked debate over its potential health risks. In 2023, the World Health Organization classified aspartame as a “carcinogenic substance for humans.”
Philippe Bergeiro, President of the French Cancer League, was quoted in the joint statement as saying, “There is no reason to expose people to cancer risks that can be completely avoided,” urging policymakers to take responsibility and ban the substance.
Other studies have also pointed to potential risks related to diabetes and even premature birth as a result of aspartame consumption.
In 2013, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), responsible for evaluating products in the European food market, reassessed this additive, identifiable on labels by its number “E 951,” but did not reconsider its approval for use.
However, “FoodWatch,” the Cancer League, and “Yuka” have expressed concerns about a potential “conflict of interest,” according to the joint statement.
A report by “FoodWatch” published on Tuesday also pointed out that “three-quarters of the studies on aspartame considered reliable by EFSA were funded or influenced by the food industry, raising questions about the credibility of the risk assessment,” and therefore, about the EFSA’s approval of aspartame.
At the end of 2019, these three consumer and health protection organizations launched a joint campaign against nitrite salts in food due to their role in the development of certain types of digestive cancers, prompting some manufacturers to change their recipes.
