Sweetener
Aspartame
Low-calorie sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar.
Limited concern · Limited evidence
IARC calls it a possible carcinogen on limited evidence; JECFA and FDA consider it acceptable at typical intake.
Worth knowing; no urgent action implied.
Reviewed Oct 2, 2026
Evidence and sources
In 2023 IARC classified aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2B) based on limited evidence. That is a hazard classification, not a measure of risk at the amounts people eat. In the same review, JECFA kept the acceptable daily intake at 40 mg per kg of body weight. FDA has said it disagrees with IARC's classification.
The amount of aspartame in this product isn't declared, so exposure from it is unknown.
Limited evidence · Presence only; amount unknown · General population
- Aspartame hazard and risk assessment results released, World Health Organization
- Aspartame and Other Sweeteners in Food, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- IARC Monographs programme: hazard identification, not risk at a given exposure, International Agency for Research on Cancer
Aspartame contains phenylalanine, which people with PKU need to limit. US labels on products with aspartame must say “Phenylketonurics: contains phenylalanine.”
Relevant only to people with PKU.
Strong evidence · Presence only; amount unknown · People with phenylketonuria (PKU)
- Aspartame and Other Sweeteners in Food, U.S. Food and Drug Administration