http://www.readthelabel.org.uk/ Sunday Express May 20, 2001 Sweetener probed by Lucy Johnston Action at last over additive Aspartame as fears grow of health risk in food and drink. THE Government has ordered a top-level investigation into the safety of Britain’s best-welling sweetener amid fears that the low-calorie chemical is a health risk. Aspartame, used in thousands of diet food and drinks has been linked to more than 90 adverse reactions including brain tumours and blindness. The Sunday Express has seen a leaked letter which reveals the Government’s food watchdog ... the Food Standards Agency ... has sent more than 500 research papers on the chemical to the Brussels-based Scientific Committee on Food. If it finds it is a heath risk, the sweetener widely used in fizzy drinks, squashes, yoghurts, spring water, chewing gum and pharmaceutical products, and often sold under the names Nutrasweet and Canderel, could be banned. Last night, Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker, who is campaigning for NutraSweet to be taken off the shelves added: "This is a very positive step. Doubts have been raised about this product and they need to be cleared." Last September, the Sunday Express led calls for an inquiry after our investigations discovered large numbers of people were claiming their health has been damaged by the sweetener. They included Lyn Hunter, 49, of Liverpool, who regularly drank diet drinks with Aspartame and had pain in her limbs, headaches, lack of concentration and insomnia. Her constant pain became so great she even considered suicide. Her doctor treated her for arthritis even though tests for this condition were negative. When she eliminated Aspartame her symptoms disappeared. The leaked letter from the food scientist Dr Sandy Lawrie expresses concern that Aspartame has not been reviewed by the Scientific Committee on Food for 13 years. It states: "We have discovered more than 500 papers on Aspartame published between 1988 and 2000. There is clearly sufficient new data on Aspartame to justify a review." Sources at the agency say that if scientists find strong evidence about dangers of a product, they will advise an EU-wide ban. A spokeswoman for European manufacturers of Aspartame, Ajinomoto, said: "All of the good scientific data shows it is safe. No data raises any concerns about Aspartame either new or old." However, many studies which have not been sponsored by the food industry highlight potential dangers. Professor Ralph Walton of Northwestern Ohio Universities said: "I dispute the assertion that there are no health risks. "I believe Aspartame increases risk of cancer. Virtually all the studies attesting to its safety have been funded by the industry." One independent study on animals shows how digestion breaks Aspartame down into formaldehyde, which accumulates in the animals’ cells, damaging DNA and poisoning the liver, kidneys, eye and brain. However, the manufacturers argue that all the constituents of Aspartame are found in much greater quantities in natural drinks such as milk and tomato juice, and are not considered a health risk. In the US, there are now five Aspartame detox centres. Symptoms reported to America’s Food and Drug administration include headaches, skin problems, stomach disorders, poor vision, depression carbohydrate cravings, panic attacks, irregular heart rhythms and seizures. For more information send an SAE to Geoff Brewer, Additives Survivors Network, 68 Downlands Road, Devizes, SN10 5EF or visit the online support group at www.dorway.com.