Aspartame: what contains sweetener that WHO to say is possible carcinogen - list of affected food and drink

One of the world's most commonly used artificial sweeteners which is used in dozens of popular foods and drinks is expected to be classified as a cancer risk by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Aspartame - a sugar alternative - is reportedly under a review by the health governing body and the official verdict is expected to be made public as early as July 2023.

Here is everything you need to know about Aspartame. This including a list of all the food and drink items that contain the potentially cancer-causing sweetener, as well as some examples of potential alternatives.

What is aspartame?

Aspartame is a low-calorie sweetener that has been commonly used for decades to lower a person's intake of added sugars. It is deemed 200 times sweeter than regular sugar and is often used as an ingredient in drinks (diet sodas, flavoured water, low sugar juices etc), dairy products (yoghurt, low fat milk etc.), nutrition bars, desserts, chewing gum, syrups, sauces and condiments.

It was first discovered in 1965 by American chemist James Schlatter and consists of two amino acids - aspartic and phenylalanine. The sweetener was approved for dry foods in 1981, carbonated drinks in 1983, and was approved as a general-purpose sweetener in 1996.

The acceptable daily intake of aspartame is 50mg for each kilogram of bodyweight. For example, a person who weighs 68kg could safely consume approximately 3,409mg every day.

For context purposes, the average sized can of Diet Coke - which is 355ml - contains an estimated 200mg of aspartame.

Does aspartame cause cancer?

According to reports, the sugar alternative is expected to be listed as a potential cancer risk on 14 July by WHO. A source told Reuters that Aspartame will be classed as "possibly carcinogenic to humans".

What foods and drinks contain aspartame?

According to Live Strong, here is a full list of the food and drink items that contain aspartame in its ingredients:

Drinks that contain Aspartame

• Coke Zero
• Diet Coke
• Diet Pepsi
• Pepsi Max
• Sprite Zero
• Fanta Zero
• Diet Mountain Dew

Foods that contain Aspartame

• Wrigley's Extra chewing gum
• Orbit chewing gum
• Airwaves chewing gum
• Mentos Pure Fresh chewing gum
• Muller Light yoghurt

List of alternatives to Aspartame

According to official records, below are the sweeteners approved for use in the UK:

• Acesulfame K (E950)
• Erythritol (E968)
• Saccharin (E954)
• Sorbitol (E420)
• Steviol glycosides (E960)
• Sucralose (E955)
• Xylitol (E967)

Aspartame is still approved in the UK.