Recently we've posted information on caloric sweeteners, such as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  But it's been a while since we've commented on anything relating to low-calorie sweeteners, such as aspartame.  But news out of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (the European equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)) is definitely worth sharing with our readers.

Late last week, a team of experts from a number of European Union member states concluded - once again - that aspartame is safe.  According to a FoodNavigator.com article, the experts found that "there is no new evidence on aspartame that would require EFSA to reassess its opinion that the sweetener is safe."  A workshop on the findings of the report is scheduled to take place on April 23 in Frankfurt, Germany.

EFSA's decision is not a surprise to us - after all, our industry is committed to providing our consumers with products and ingredients that meet or exceed all government safety regulations.  And when it comes to low-calorie sweeteners, such as aspartame, numerous credible scientific bodies (including the World Health Organization (WHO), EFSA and FDA) have declared them safe for human consumption.  In fact, FDA reaffirmed that position as recently as 2007.  That same year, a literature review on aspartame by an expert panel of some of the world's leading toxicologists, who evaluated the safety of aspartame at current levels of consumption, was published in the peer-reviewed journal Critical Reviews in Toxicology.  That group also confirmed the ingredient's safety.

So when you read or hear sensational things about low-calorie sweeteners and/or whether or not they are safe, just remember a few key things:

Their safety has been repeatedly re-affirmed by government agencies around the world; and here in the U.S., they have undergone extensive testing before being approved by FDA. They offer consumers options to help them with their lifestyle - whether to maintain weight, help manage diabetes or simply retain sweet taste without adding calories.  This is supported by both the American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetes Association.