Italians mass evidence against aspartame

Italy’s Ramazzini Foundation has released new evidence to reinforce its claim that the artificial sweetener aspartame is linked with cancer.

Following a conference in Bologna at the end of last month, where the results were presented, the Foundation reported some “high level” findings, which have yet to be peer reviewed and published.

Researchers claimed there had been a “statistically significant” dose-related increase in tumours developing in the kidneys of female rats fed with aspartame. They also pointed to a dose-related – but not statistically significant – increase in malignancies in peripheral nerves in males and females, particularly in the cranium.

Armed with these findings, the European Food Safety Authority will complete a review of the Ramazzini study, which should be available within five months. Meanwhile, the Foundation is to look at Tate & Lyle’s sucralose sweetener Splenda (Food Manufacture, August 2005, p4).

In a separate study, Ramazzini researchers found that the weight gain of rats given Coca-Cola instead of water corresponded with an increase in malignant mammary tumours in females.