Additives
Aspartame (E951): What It Is and Is It Safe?
Hazardous
Sweetener · Sweetener
In July 2023 the WHO's IARC classified aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B). People with phenylketonuria (PKU) must avoid it entirely. Products containing aspartame must display "Contains a source of phenylalanine."
- Category
- Sweetener — Sweetener
- Typically used in
- Diet fizzy drinks, sugar-free products, chewing gum, tabletop sweeteners
- Regulatory status
- IARC Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic) - July 2023.
- Concerns flagged
-
Carcinogenicity concernMigraine trigger
Scrannr flags Aspartame automatically when you scan a barcode.
Sources
Where this comes from
- EFSA (2013) — Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of aspartame -E 951- as a food additive. http://dx.doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3496
- IARC / Lancet Oncology (2023) — IARC Monographs Vol. 134 – Aspartame classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B) https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(23)00341-8
- Newman & Lipton (2001) — Migraine MLTs: do they exist? Behavioural effects of aspartame https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-4610.2001.01049.x
Products
Products containing Aspartame
We're building product pages that show real UK products containing Aspartame, using Open Food Facts data. They'll appear here soon — in the meantime, scan any barcode with the Scrannr app to check for it instantly.
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