Aspartame a "possible carcinogen" but safe to consume in moderation, WHO says

The sweetener aspartame is a “possible carcinogen” but it remains safe to consume at already agreed levels, two groups linked to the World Health Organization (WHO) have declared. The rulings are the outcome of two separate WHO expert panels, one of which flags whether there is any evidence that a substance is a potential hazard, and the other which assesses how much of a real-life risk that substance poses. Aspartame is one of the world’s most popular sweeteners, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Extra chewing gum. In a press conference before the announcement, the WHO’s head of nutrition, Francesco Branca, tried to help consumers make sense of the seemingly conflicting declarations, especially those who seek out artificial sweeteners to avoid sugar.

tips

in moderation：适量

expert panel：专家小组

substance：物质

hazard：冒险；危险⚠️

assess：评估

diet：日常饮食；议会

chew：咀嚼，口香糖

gum：橡胶