Pepsi drops artificial sweetener over consumer concerns
Could it be that real sugar is best after all? PepsiCo on 28 April 2015 announced that it will remove the artificial sweetener aspartame from Diet Pepsi in the U.S., amid consumer concerns that it contributes to the growth of tumours.
Aspartame-free cans of the drink will go on sale from August in America, but not in Europe. However regulators in the U.S. and the UK still insist that aspartame is safe to use in soft drinks.
PepsiCo says its decision is a commercial one, responding to consumer preferences.
Last year, sales of Diet Pepsi fell by more than 5 percent in the US. Similarly, sales of Diet Coke, which also contains aspartame, decreased by more than 6 percent, reports say.
PepsiCo says it will replace aspartame with another sweetener – sucralose – mixed with acesulfame potassium (Ace-K).
The change only applies to the U.S. market and will affect all varieties of Diet Pepsi. It will not apply to other PepsiCo drinks, such as Diet Mountain Dew.
Aspartame, also known as E951, has sparked controversy since it was first approved for use in the 1980s. It is widely used as a sugar substitute in food products and beverages. However, a 2005 study found that rats, which were given dosages of aspartame equivalent to those in humans, may develop tumors.
Nonetheless, European regulators were not convinced and concluded that aspartame could still be used as a food additive. Same in the U.S., where the Food and Drug Administration found more than 100 studies that support aspartame’s safety. But regulators agree that there should be a limit to how much of the sweetener people consume.
How much is safe, then?
