Factbox-Food and beverage products that mention aspartame on their labels

Reuters
·2 min read
FILE PHOTO: Diet Coke is seen on display at a store in New York City,

(Reuters) - Aspartame, one of the world's most popular sweeteners, has been deemed a "possible carcinogen" by two groups linked to the World Health Organization, though it remains safe for consumption at already-agreed levels.

The sugar substitute, used in products from diet sodas to sugar-free yoghurts and cough drops, is a combination of two amino acids - phenylalanine and aspartic.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which approved aspartame in 1974, advises that products carry a warning label for Phenylketonurics - people with a rare genetic disorder who have difficulty in breaking down phenylalanine.

Below are some food and beverage companies that mention aspartame on their product label:

Name of Parent Company Aspartame Warning label

product mentioned in for

ingredient Phenylketonuri

list cs

Diet Coke Coca-Cola Yes Yes

Diet Fanta Coca-Cola Yes Yes

Diet Sprite Coca-Cola Yes No

Diet Pepsi PepsiCo Yes Yes

Wild Cherry

Diet Mountain PepsiCo Yes Yes

Dew

Pepsi Zero PepsiCo Yes No

Sugar and

Diet Pepsi

Diet Mug Root PepsiCo Yes Yes

beer

Halls sugar Mondelez Yes Yes

free drops International

Mrs. Conagra Brands Yes No

Butterworth's

sugar free

syrup

Snapple zero Keurig Dr Yes No

sugar tea and Pepper

juice drinks

Jell-O sugar Kraft Heinz Yes Yes

free gelatin

dessert mix

Mentos Pure Perfetti Van Yes Yes

Fresh Gum in Melle

fresh mint,

spearmint,

sweet mint

flavors

Equal zero Whole Earth Yes Yes

calorie Brand

sweetener

Trident sugar Mondelez Yes Yes

free International

peppermint

gum

Extra Mars Yes Yes

Spearmint

sugarfree

chewing gum

Sugar Twin 2 B&G Foods Yes Yes

sweetener

packets

Cary's sugar B&G Foods Yes Yes

free low

calorie syrup

Source: US FDA, NCBI, company websites

(Reporting by Granth Vanaik, Juveria Tabassum and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)