KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Food Safety Authority says recent concerns raised about aspartame, a low energy sweetener, are not justified.
Aspartame is a common sweetener in soft drinks, medicines and sugar-free sweets.
It was blamed last month for health problems suffered by Wellington woman Abigail McCormack, who thought she was dying after a four-pack-a-day chewing gum habit led to crippling muscle cramps, tingling in her hands and feet, heart palpitations and anxiety attacks.
Ms McCormack made a complete recovery when she stopped chewing aspartame-sweetened gum.
An Italian study also found a link between aspartame and cancer in rats.
But NZFSA's deputy chief executive Sandra Daly said yesterday the reaction to large doses of aspartame from chewing gum, and of the study which linked aspartame with cancer, were not consistent with the findings of a large number of studies over many years.
"Aspartame is probably one of the most studied products on sale today, and there is an extensive body of evidence that tells us it is a safe product that offers consumers a sweet low-calorie option in their diet."
American and European food agencies had all recently reconfirmed their confidence in the safety of aspartame, Ms Daly said.
"NZFSA continually assesses the weight of sound, scientific evidence that surrounds the use of all products, including aspartame. We can find no scientific basis for claims that the product is not safe to consume in sensible quantities."
An adult would have to consume 14 cans of a sugar-free drink every day before reaching the acceptable daily intake of aspartame and they would need to do that every day of their lives before possibly showing any ill-effects, she said.
"Eating too much of any one thing is not good for you - even those we consume every day, such as coffee, carrots and cake."
Certain people with the genetic disease phenylketonuria, and pregnant women with high blood levels of phenylalanine had a problem with aspartame because they did not effectively metabolise the amino acid phenylalanine, one of aspartame's components.
- NZPA
