GENEVA – The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the soda sweetener aspartame as a possible carcinogen, but said it is safe for people to consume within the recommended daily limit, CNBC reported.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, a WHO body, identified a possible link between aspartame and a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma after reviewing three large human studies conducted in the US and Europe that examined artificially sweetened beverages.
Aspartame is used in Diet Coke, Pepsi Zero Sugar and other diet sodas, as well as some chewing gum and various Snapple drinks as a substitute for sugar.
Artificially sweetened beverages have historically been the biggest source of exposure to aspartame, according to Lancet Oncology.
