Carcinogenicity of aspartame, methyleugenol, and isoeugenol.

In June, 2023, a Working Group of 25 scientists from 12 countries met at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France, to finalise their evaluation of the carcinogenicity of aspartame, methyleugenol, and isoeugenol. Aspartame was classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2B) based on “limited” evidence for cancer in humans. There was also “limited” evidence for cancer in experimental animals and “limited” mechanistic evidence. Methyleugenol was classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A) based on “sufficient” evidence for cancer in experimental animals and “strong” mechanistic evidence, including studies in humanised mice and supported by mechanistic studies in exposed humans. Isoeugenol was classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2B) based on “sufficient” evidence for cancer in experimental animals. For both methyleugenol and isoeugenol, the evidence regarding cancer in humans was “inadequate”, as no epidemiological studies were available. These assessments will be published in Volume 134 of the IARC Monographs. 1 International Agency for Research on Cancer. Volume 134: Aspartame, methyleugenol, and isoeugenol. Lyon, France; June 6–13, 2023. IARC Monogr Identif Carcinog Hazards Hum (in press). Google Scholar Immediately following IARC's meeting on cancer hazard identification, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) conducted a risk assessment exercise, including a review of the acceptable daily intake of aspartame. A summary of these results has been published. Aspartame: it is the risk that matters, not the hazardThe latest set of assessments of potential carcinogenic hazards to humans, published in summary by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), covers three different agents: aspartame, isoeugenol, and methyleugenol. Most interest will concentrate on just one of these agents, aspartame, an artificial sweetener. IARC has classified aspartame for the first time, as a Group 2B agent, which is “Possibly carcinogenic to humans”. Full-Text PDF