Artificial sweetener: WHO panel says no need to cut daily intake

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CategoryHealth

Last Updated15/07/2023

Recently, a World Health Organization’s (WHO) committee categorised artificial sweetener aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”.
a categorisation generally used for things when there is either limited, but not convincing, evidence for cancer in humans or convincing evidence for cancer in experimental animals, but not both
However, another committee simultaneously assessing the levels that can be safely consumed said there is no need to reduce the previously established acceptable daily intake (ADI) for the sweetener.

It is a most common artificial sweetener and is used in a wide range of diet soft drinks, sugar-free chewing gums, sugar-free ice creams, sugar-free breakfast cereals, etc.
Chemically, aspartame is a methyl ester of the dipeptide of two natural amino acids, L-aspartic acid and L-phenylalanine.
Aspartame is about 200 times sweeter than table sugar.
Around 100 countries around the world, including India, permit the use of aspartame.
The current ADI: 0-40 mg/kg body weight

Founded in 1948, WHO is the United Nations’ specialized agency for Health
It is an inter-governmental organization and works in collaboration with its member states usually through the Ministries of Health.
The WHO provides leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

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To establish and maintain effective collaboration with the United Nations, specialized agencies, governmental health administrations, professional groups and such other organizations as may be deemed appropriate.
To provide assistance to the Governments, upon request, in strengthening health services.
To promote cooperation among scientific and professional groups which contribute to the advancement of health.

The Health Assembly determines the policies of the Organization.
It supervises the financial policies of the Organization and reviews and approves the budget.
It reports to the Economic and Social Council in accordance with any agreement between the Organization and the United Nations.

World Health Assembly (WHA) is WHO’s decision-making body attended by delegations from all of WHO’s member states,
It is held yearly at the headquarters of WHO