Source: La Leva Archimede
Morando Soffritti, an Italian researcher with the Ramazzini Foundation in Bologna is known for his publication of a study that found aspartame, the artificial sweetener consisting of two amino acids and a methanol binding agent, caused multiple cancers in rats. Soffritti was in New York on Monday, 23 April, to accept a prestigious academic award and to talk about a second study his institute is conducting with lower doses of aspartame. Although results have not yet been published, the study appears set to confirm the findings of the first study and the researchers are finding negative health effects even at very low dosages of aspartame, comparable to the intakes of people who are regularly using diet drinks.

In a move designed to head off yet more negative publicity for the toxic sweetener, the FDA issued a press release on Friday - just days before Soffritti’s talk at the Mount Sinai Medical School - re-stating the FDA’s earlier contention that there is “No evidence the sweetener causes cancer”. In this way, the press was induced to carry the FDA’s denial in numerous variations and Soffritti’s talk last Monday was no longer considered “newsworthy”, although there IS a new study in progress and it certainly adds to emerging knowledge about the effects of the artificial sweetener. It is of interest to see PR at work here and one should should note how well the technologies of public communication are being used by Big Pharma and its supposed “regulator”, the FDA. The two, it seems, will soon be joined in an incestuous ‘marriage’, if a recent bill proposed by Senator Kennedy finds the approval of US lawmakers.

Source: UK Daily Mail
Artificial colours and flavours including the controversial sweetener aspartame are being banned by Sainsbury’s. Other supermarkets and manufacturers are expected to bring in similar bans following studies linking the additives to allergies and hyperactivity.

Sainsbury’s is replacing aspartame with sucralose, a low-calorie sweetener made from sugar. It is also removing the widely-used artificial colouring E150d from its cola drinks. E150d also appears in beer and bread. The chemicals will generally be replaced by natural colours and fruit and vegetable extracts, while flavourings will be from named fruits and other natural sources.

The founder of the Hyperactive Children’s Support Group, Sally Bunday, said: “This is fantastic news particularly for our members whose children are affected by the artificial colours used in so many products targeted at youngsters.” Sainsbury’s soft drinks manager, Cathy Port, said: “This is the result of extensive research among customers who told us what they want. We’ve invested a huge amount of time to ensure we get the taste of the new soft drinks exactly right.”

Comment: so they are banning one poison and ADDING A DIFFERENT ONE! A few individuals have commented about this exchange of one controversial substance by another on the UK Daily Mail comments section under their article but such comments were not allowed. Ergo, you are supposed to read this news about the aspartame ban and think it’s a good thing but you evidently aren’t allowed to learn that it is being replaced by something equally controversial.

Source: ICEX
Translation : A law promulgated by the Philippine Congress has forbidden the importing and use, in the country, of aspartame, a sweetener that is between 180 to 200 times more potent than sugar, as well as banning distribution of four makes of saccharine, the most important brand names in the country known as: Equal, Nutrasweet, Equal-Measure y Spoonful.[*] According to the said Law aspartame gives rise to a total of 75% of the negative effects reflected in consumers and other users according to the north American administration of food and ailimentation, among others, brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and diabetes among others. The ban affects all use of this product in any type of consumable and infringement will carry penalties that go from 9,000 euros to 90,000 euros.

UPDATE: April 30th, 2007 — Unfortunately aspartame has not been banned. Please see the first comment on this article for details.