Aspartame, a controversial carcinogen, is still used in Korea?

▲대형마트 진열대에 아스파탐이 포함된 상품들이 진열돼 있다. (연합뉴스)

After the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the sugar substitute artificial sweetener 'aspartame' as a possible carcinogen on the 14th, the retail industry is looking to use alternatives in private label (PB) products.

According to the industry on the 14th, large supermarkets such as Lotte Mart, Imart, and Homeplus are looking for ways to replace aspartame used in PB products.

Although the government's judgment is that it is okay to use it at the current level, it seems to have considered consumer psychology, such as the fact that it is classified as a possible carcinogen.

On the same day, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that it plans to maintain the current aspartame usage standards as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)-World Health Organization (WHO) Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) announced that there is no safety issue with aspartame at current consumption levels.

First of all, Lotte Mart does not have any aspartame-containing products among its PB beverages, and about 10 items such as popcorn and snacks contain aspartame. LOTTE Mart also plans to search for alternative raw materials and gradually replace them.

E-Mart has completed talks with its partners to find alternative ingredients for five of its no-brand beverages, including Zero Cola and Sparkling Aid, which contain aspartame. Six of its snacks, including nacho chips and cheddar cheese flavors, contained aspartame, and discussions have been held to replace them.

As it takes time to develop products with alternatives and manufacture products, the inventory will remain on sale and new products will be available in two months.

Among Homeplus PB products, there are about 10 snacks that contain aspartame as a minor ingredient. This was confirmed through an internal food investigation.

Homeplus plans to continue safety reviews in line with future changes in food additive standards, and to continue efforts to replace aspartame in some ingredients.

However, it is difficult for distributors to intervene in aspartame contained in products made by other manufacturers other than their own PB products.

"We will do our best to provide a safe and reliable purchasing environment with customer safety as our top priority," said a representative from the retail industry.

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