Bitterly sweet n sticky
resh doubts have been raised about the safety of aspartame, an artificial sweetener used extensively in processed foods and also as a tabletop sweetener. The European Food Safety Authority (efsa) has decided to evaluate its safety in view of the findings of a study carried out by the European Foundation of Oncology and Environmental Sciences (efoes), Bologna, Italy, revealing aspartame's carcinogenic potential. Though the sweetener has been certified safe by various agencies and its manufacturers also vouch for the same, its health risks have remained an unsettled issue ever since its introduction. A us $350 million lawsuit has been filed in the us on NutraSweet Company and others for deliberately manufacturing, marketing and promoting "toxic aspartame' despite the various health problems it can cause, including arthritis, asthma, brain cancer, diarrhoea, hypertension and memory and vision loss (see Down To Earth,