Is it time to put an end to almost half a century of controversy? On the occasion of World Cancer Day, Tuesday, February 4, three associations – la Ligue contre le cancer, Foodwatch and Yuka – are calling on the European Commission to ban aspartame, launching a petition to put pressure on Brussels and member states.

The sweetener has been at the center of intense debate over its safety for several decades, a debate recently reignited by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which classified this "artificial sweetener" as a "possible carcinogen" to humans in July 2023. In a report published on February 4, Foodwatch states that emerging research also points to risks other than cancer, including "cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, neurotoxicity and negative effects on the gut microbiome."

Over 6,000 products contain this sweetener, the main source of exposure being sodas and "zero calorie" drinks. According to a Yougov survey conducted for Foodwatch, around 40% of Europeans say they regularly consume products containing aspartame. For Philippe Bergerot, president of la Ligue contre le cancer, there is "no reason to allow people to be exposed to a completely avoidable risk of cancer." "The World Health Organization and numerous scientific studies highlight this risk," he said in a statement. "We can't say we didn't know. We are asking our political decision-makers to shoulder their responsibilities and ban it."

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