Aspartame has been classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
What this means: Evidence of carcinogenicity is limited
Same category as: Aloe vera extract & some pickled vegetables
What it tells us about risk: Nothing!
More detail on the IARC system in this updated graphic: https://www.compoundchem.com/2023/07/14/carcinogens/
I'm unconvinced about the utility of a scale that (apparently) is incapable of saying any substance whatsoever does *not* cause cancer.
Perhaps a "percentage of deaths over a set time period" - for some well-defined dosages - would be a better mechanism for evaluating risk of tested candidates? It always bugged me when they declare a substance cancer-causing, and "in lab mice, in dosages 10,000x higher than normal exposure" is left out. Is real guidance so much to ask?
