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Manufacturing Uncertainty out of Manufactured Sweeteners: The Curious Case of Aspartame

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Adam Burgess*
Affiliation:
Social Risk Research, University of Kent
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Abstract

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Type
Reports
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013

References

1 See <http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/events/event/130409.htm#documents> (last accessed on 6 August 2013).

2 EC Health & Consumer Protection Directorate-General, Scientific Committee on Food, Directorate C - Scientific Opinions, C2 - Management of scientific committees II; scientific co-operation and networks, SCF/CS/ADD/EDUL/222 Final, 10 December 2002. Available at: <http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out155_en.pdf> (last accessed on 6 August 2013).

3 Foods sweetened with aspartame contain smaller quantities of these components than many other foods. For example, a 115 g banana contains as much methanol as a 330ml can of carbonated soft drink sweetened entirely with aspartame.

4 Committee on Toxicity in Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, COT Statement on the Effects of Chronic Dietary Exposure to Methanol, March 2011, Available at: <http://cot.food.gov.uk/pdfs/cotstatementmethanol201102revjuly.pdf> (last accessed on 6 August 2013).

5 See Felicity Lawrence, 2005, Fresh Fears Raised about aspartame, the Guardian. Available at: <http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2005/jul/15/health.food?INTCMP=SRCH> (last accessed on 6 August 2013).

6 The study by researchers at the University of Southampton linked additive colours to child hyperactivity; for the European judgement on the study see: <http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/ans080314.htm> (last accessed on 6 August 2013).

8 For the FSA's view on aspartame see: <http://www.food.gov.uk/policy-advice/additives-branch/55174#.UZX-9ODu30A> (last accessed on 6 August 2013).

9 EC Health & Consumer Protection Directorate-General,supra note 2.

10 Henry Rothstein, 2013. Domesticating participation: participation and the institutional rationalities of science-based policy-making in the UK food standards agency, Journal of Risk Research DOI:10.1080/13669877.2013.775180

11 See Andrew Wadge, Anecdotes, Science and Aspartame (22 June 2009). Available at: <http://blogs.food.gov.uk/science/entry/Anec-dotes_science_and_aspartame> (last accessed on 6 August 2013).

12 Letters were obtained under a Freedom of Information request to the FSA by commercial lobbyists.

13 Ian Sample, 2009, Sweetener aspartame to be investigated for possible side-effects, the Guardian. Available at: <http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/sep/23/sweetener-as-partame-side-effects?INTCMP=SRCH> (last accessed on 6 August 2013).

14 Felicity Lawrence, 2006, Food safety authority says aspartame not linked to cancer, the Guardian. Available at: <http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2006/may/15/food.foodand-drink1?INTCMP=SRCH> (last accessed on 6 August 2013).