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Consumer advocate criticizes artificial sweetener
FDA studies Acesulfame-K
July 31, 1996
Web posted at: 9:30 p.m. EDT (0130 GMT)From Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As more Americans try to shed pounds, foods made with artificial sweeteners are becoming a bigger part of their diet. Sugar substitutes already sweeten hundreds of products, from puddings to chocolate syrup to chewing gum.
But, as the Food and Drug Administration weighs whether to allow Acesulfame-K to be added to soft drinks, a consumer advocate from the Center for Science in the Public Interest has renewed his campaign against the sweetener.
Michael Jacobson says even though it has been available in the United States for eight years, he's not convinced it was adequately tested.
"A couple of the tests on rats indicate a possibility of cancer, not proof that this chemical causes cancer, but a possibility," Jacobson said.
Acesulfame-K, also known as Sunette, has been approved for use in soft drinks in Canada and Europe; a decision on whether to allow it as an additive in the United States is expected by the end of the year.
Jacobson solicited 10 letters from cancer experts who criticized the research on Acesulfame-K.
But not everyone agrees it's harmful.
Company backs its product
"A number of other major scientific and regulatory bodies around the world have all concluded that Sunette is a safe ingredient, and they've done that on the basis of examining all the facts and all the science," said Jon Simplicio of Hoechst Food Ingredients, Sunette's manufacturer.
Simplicio said about 90 studies on laboratory animals show it is safe. Although rats did get cancer in one study, he said that particular strain of rats is prone to cancer no matter what foods they eat.
Jacobson said he's also concerned that traces of Sunette remain in the body. But the sweetener's manufacturers said not to worry.
"A human being would have to consume roughly the volume of three Olympic-size swimming pools on a daily basis to be potentially effected by this ingredient," Simplicio said.
Sugar-free products, in general, have a controversial history.
If food manufacturers were forced to take Sunette out of all their products, they'd want to replace it with another artificial sweetener, such as saccharine or NutraSweet.
Some people argue that those two products have health problems of their own. Signs in supermarkets warn that saccharine has caused cancer in laboratory animals. There also have been complaints that NutraSweet can cause headaches and other neurological problems.
Jacobson isn't partial to any artificial sweetener -- he said he believes they are all unhealthy.
Related stories:
- FDA OKs olestra despite critics' concerns - January 24, 1996
- Dose of sugar may make you smarter - November 2, 1995
- Some say fake fat does more harm than good - October 25, 1995
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