US Government Research further validates Aspartame Safety

02/03/06 Aspartame producer, Ajinomoto has noted that the National Toxicology Program in the United States has published the results of a series of three peer-reviewed studies which provide further validation of the safety of aspartame.  The study used leading-edge scientific techniques that determine whether substances cause cancer in laboratory mice which have been specially bred to make them highly sensitive to cancer-causing agents. The amounts of aspartame fed to the mice in the studies were equivalent to quantities thousands of times higher than those consumed by people who regularly choose products with aspartame. The researchers concluded: "There was no evidence of carcinogenic activity of aspartame."

This government-funded research was conducted as part of the National Toxicology Program (NTP).  The NTP, which is run by the Department of Health and Human Services, states that "the NTP is a program whose mission is to evaluate agents of public health concern by developing and applying tools of modern toxicology and molecular biology.  The program maintains an objective, science-based approach in dealing with critical issues in toxicology and is committed to using the best science available to prioritize, design, conduct, and interpret its studies.  To that end, the NTP is continually evolving to remain at the cutting edge of scientific research and to develop and apply new technologies."

The publication of the NTP studies, which reconfirm the safety of aspartame in both male and female animals, comes at a time when allegations about aspartame have been made by a group of Italian scientists led by Dr Morando Soffritti.  Dr Soffritti's group claimed to find a link between aspartame in female but not in male laboratory animals, but Ajinomoto write that they used a research design, which other scientists abandoned many years ago.

Ajinomoto note that there is a substantial body of scientific evidence which shows that aspartame helps people to control their weight.  Overweight and obesity are significant risk factors for cancer. In Europe, overweight and obesity are associated with 70,000 new cancer cases every year.

Aspartame is an increasingly popular choice for consumers. In 2005, sales of low calorie carbonated soft drinks in western Europe are estimated to have grown by 6% in volume, while sales of regular carbonates retreated by 1%.

The complete report on aspartame from the National Toxicology Program is available at http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/.

www.ajinomoto.ch