A group of 25 worldwide specialists reached the conclusion that aspartame may have a “possible” connection to cancer in humans, according to a report released by the World Health Organization on Thursday.

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The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has discovered a potential link between aspartame and hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of liver cancer, after reviewing three significant human studies carried out in the United States and Europe.

After the research went public, several internet users were curious about the use of aspartame and its use in Splenda.

As per a published report, the majority of the ingredients in Splenda packets—nearly 99%—are fillers, including dextrose, maltodextrin, and moisture. Small amounts of the highly sweet sucralose make up the remaining portion. On the other hand, aspartame-based sweeteners also have comparable fillers.

However, it is clear that Splenda does not contain aspartame, despite the fact that sucralose- and aspartame-based sweeteners may have similar fillers.

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Though various diet beverages, such as Diet Coke, Pepsi Zero Sugar, and other comparable products, frequently include aspartame as a sugar alternative, it can also be found in a number of Snapple-brand beverages and some chewing gum brands. A study that was published in the journal Lancet Oncology claims that historically, people’s main exposure to aspartame has been via artificially sweetened beverages.

The designation of aspartame as a potential carcinogen is based on scant data, according to Dr. Mary Schubauer-Berigan, a senior official at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). She pointed out that the three studies that were undertaken on the topic might have been exposed to bias, chance events, or other potential errors.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) declared on Thursday that the evidence currently available does not provide enough support for an association between aspartame and cancer in humans.

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In addition, according to JECFA, aspartame is regarded as safe for ingestion as long as a person’s lifetime intake of the sweetener does not exceed 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.