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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Business
Tom Perkins

Revealed: WHO aspartame safety panel linked to alleged Coca-Cola front group

Diet Coke.
‘Because of this conflict of interest, conclusions about aspartame are not credible, and the public should not rely on them,’ US Right-To-Know’s executive director says. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

In May, the World Health Organization issued an alarming report that declared widely used non-sugar sweeteners like aspartame are likely ineffective for weight loss, and long term consumption may increase the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mortality in adults.

A few months later, WHO declared aspartame, a key ingredient in Diet Coke, to be a “possible carcinogen”, then quickly issued a third report that seemed to contradict its previous findings – people could continue consuming the product at levels determined to be safe decades ago, before new science cited by WHO raised health concerns.

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