A working group will study the impact of aspartame on health

The Agency for Food Safety (handles) is expected to release its first recommendations on aspartame consumption by sensitive populations 2011/beginning end 2012, said Monday its Executive Vice President Gerard Lasfargues.

A request for Xavier Bertrand

On Sunday, Health Minister Xavier Bertrand said he had asked the handles a "clear answer" to the question: "Do or not aspartame poses difficulties? ". "If it does, it will be necessary at European level, we take drastic measures, or better information or better precautions," he added.

Questioned by AFP, Professor Lasfargues recalled that following the publication of two studies, EFSA was asked to conduct a reassessment of the safety of aspartame and the acceptable daily intake (ADI). This reassessment is scheduled for 2012. "They made a call for data and publications and received hundreds of contributions, it will be much discussed, this will give a clearer position she was," he said.

A working group set up by the handles

For his part, without duplicating the work of EFSA, ANSES seized of the matter "the risk / benefit nutritional" and announced in March that it would set up a working group on the subject, may develop recommendations to sensitive populations such as pregnant women and children. Calls for applications were launched in early summer.

"We are finalizing the task force, which will focus, in addition to aspartame, all artificial sweeteners," said Professor Lasfargues, saying it would start to come together "in coming days. " "If the recommendations of caution must be made for sensitive populations, they will as soon as possible," he added. He said the first recommendation should be made "end 2011/beginning 2012."

Meanwhile, the task force will hear scientists, associations, manufacturers, to a collective expertise. Work will continue throughout 2012.