Aspartame is a widely used artificial sweetener, commonly sold under the brand names NutraSweet and Equal. Aspartame was first approved for sale in the United States in 1981, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has long held that aspartame is safe for human consumption and can be sold in the United States as a general purpose sweetener in food.
Artificial Sweeteners
All artificial sweeteners used in the United States, including aspartame, are regulated by the FDA, part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Part of the FDA's responsibility, under the 1958 Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and subsequent Food Additives Amendment, involves inspecting and approving any food additives used, such as sweeteners. The FDA, however, does not have to approve products that are generally recognized as safe, and any product that qualifies does not need FDA approval.
Aspartame
The FDA approved aspartame in the United States in 1981 after laboratory testing revealed that the substance was not harmful to laboratory animals, according to the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Aspartame, when ingested into the human body, breaks down into the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine, and methanol. These substances, according to the FDA, are also found at similar levels in common food items.
Negative Effects
Since being approved, aspartame has received ongoing attention and has been the subject of numerous health studies. Some studies, such as the 2005 European Ramazzini Foundation study on aspartame, have concluded that some animals, such as lab rats, experienced a higher risk of cancer after consuming large quantities of aspartame. The FDA, after reviewing this study and numerous others studies that have revealed no increased risk of cancer, has found no reasonable reason to alter its decision that aspartame is safe for human consumption.
Aspartame Hoax
A widely disseminated hoax, according to Snopes.com, has long claimed that aspartame and artificial sweeteners that use it has caused any number of negative health effects, such as cancer, brain tumors and other diseases. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. Following the 1981 approval of aspartame, the General Accounting Office performed an additional investigation into aspartame's health effects in 1987 and found the FDA acted properly in approving the substance for human consumption.
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