Does All Chewing Gum Contain Aspartame?

Recently, important news in the food additive industry affected many people. This news said that the World Health Organization announced on July 14, 2023, that the artificial sweetener aspartame is classified as a "possible carcinogen." On the same day, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) jointly issued the aspartame Hazard and Risk assessment report, which said that based on the "limited evidence" of human carcinogenicity of aspartame, it is classified as a "possible carcinogen" (IARC2B class). And it was reiterated that the recommended allowable daily intake is less than 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.



As we know, aspartame is an artificial non-sugar sweetener that is 200 times sweeter than sucrose and is commonly used as a sugar substitute in foods and beverages. Aspartame was first submitted for approval as a food ingredient in 1974 and was approved by the U.S. A review by more than 100 government regulators found the ingredient to be safe to eat at current levels. As of 2018, several clinical trial reviews have shown that using aspartame instead of sugar can reduce calorie intake and body weight in adults and children.

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that has been widely used in the field of food and beverage products since the 1980s. Different sugar-free products, such as sugar-free chewing gums, sugar-free beverages, and sugar-free dairy products, are commonly seen at shops or supermarkets. "Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, killing one in six people yearly. We are increasingly assessing the factors that can cause or promote cancer to reduce the number of cases and deaths." Francesco Branca, director of the WHO's Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, said the evaluation of aspartame showed that while safety was not a major concern for commonly used doses, its potential effects needed to be investigated through more and better studies.

Since its development, chewing gum has already become one of the most popular confectionery snacks. After the World Health Organization announced that aspartame may cause cancer, many consumers who love gum products are extremely concerned about whether all chewing gum, including xylitol gum, stick gum, ball bubble gum, bazooka bubble gum, center-filled bubble gum, and other gum products, whether aspartame is contained? Before we answer today's question about whether all chewing gum contains aspartame, let's recall the distinction between sugar and sugar-free chewing gum and its main ingredients discussed earlier. On our Wuxi Gum Base Co website, we listed some recipes for different gums; we can know for sugar-type chewing gum, the main ingredients are gum base, liquid glucose, sugar, flavor, glycerin, and lecithin; some manufacturers may add different acid on the chewing gum, which we can see there's no aspartame contained. We all know that aspartame is an artificial sweetener called cyclamate. It is a low-calorie alternative to sugar commonly used in foods and beverages to provide sweetness without adding calories. Aspartame is widely used in various foods and beverages, including carbonated beverages, juices, ice cream, candy, yogurt, beverage powder, etc. Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar, so only a small amount is needed to achieve the desired sweetness. Aspartame is also very low in calories compared to white sugar or glucose syrup. Let's see some main ingredients for making sugar-free chewing gum: gum base, liquid sorbitol, powder sorbitol, xylitol, menthol, flavor, lecithin, and glycerin. We just talked about the basic ingredients of sugar-free chewing gum. Still, different manufacturers will add some other ingredients on top of those basic ingredients to make their gum more popular. For example, add some oxidized starch, carnauba wax, pigment, acesulfame, color lake, or aspartame. But that's not to say that all sugar-free gum contains the same ingredients or that all sugar-free gum contains aspartame. Some chewing gum manufacturers like to add aspartame while making gum because aspartame as a sweetener in sugar-free chewing gum provides lasting mouth freshness.

As the World Health Organization says, aspartame may cause cancer, but there is no specific amount of consumption to cause cancer. We need to be more careful when choosing products containing aspartame, but we also need to be sensible.

We know that not all chewing gum contains aspartame from the main ingredients of sugar and sugar-free chewing gum we have discussed above. We do not need to resist chewing gum. Still, it is recommended to carefully look at the raw material table given by the manufacturer when purchasing it and then buy your favorite chewing gum.

If you're interested in more knowledge about gum base or chewing gum ingredients, welcome to contact us at Wuxi Gum Base Co, we're happy to share the information you want.



Author: Wuxi Gum Base
Publication Date: 7/24/2023