Bibite (Coca-Cola Zero, Pepsi Max, Sprite Zero) and energy drinks and chewing tires, candy and protein desserts: theaspartame (E951) It is still used as a substitute for sugar in over 2500 “light” or “sugar -free” products in Europe.
This is despite more than a year, the International Center for Cancer Research (Circ) of the WHO has classified it as “Possible carcinogen for man“, As a further alarm that is added to over 30 years of scientific evidence on its health risks, in particular those related to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
So why do we still find it everywhere?
What is aspartame
It is a artificial sweetenercomposed of two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylanin. He was discovered in the 1960s, but became famous in the 80s for his low calorie intake made possible byhigh sweetening powerequal to over 200 times that of sucrose, the common white sugar.
A study by the EFSA published in 2013 confirmed, among a thousand controversies, that theaspartame would be sure for the human beingadult or a child. But over the years several studies have evaluated that some of its components, such as phenylalanine, can be toxic.
In 2023, then, the Iarc, the International Agency for Cancer Research of the World Health Organization, has it Ranked as “possible carcinogen”, therefore in group 2B.
We talked about it here: aspartame, now it is official, the WHO is also classified the artificial sweetener as “probable carcinogen”
The petition
With a mobilization, Yuka, the French League against cancer and foodwatch launch one petition in 11 European countries – Germany, Austria, Belgium, Spain, France, Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Switzerland – to put pressure on the European institutions to prohibit this additive and solicit EU Member States to take measures.
The precautionary principle provided for by the European regulation requires in fact to ban it. Julie Chapon, co -founder of Yuka, intends to mobilize the 45 million users of the application in Europe:
Among Yuka users, 95% say they have stopped buying products containing controversial additives thanks to the app. Today we want to give them the tools to become protagonists of the change, exerting concrete pressure to ban this additive at risk.
Signs the petition here.