The Government has ordered a top-level investigation into the safety of Britain's best-selling sweetener amid fears that the low calorie chemical is a health risk. Aspartame, used in thousands of diet food and drinks has been linked to more than 90 adverse reactions including brain tumours and blindness.

The Sunday Express has seen a leaked letter which reveals the Government's food watchdog - the Food Standards Agency - has sent more than 500 research papers on the chemical to the Brussels-based Scientific Committee on Food.

If it finds it is a health risk, the sweetener widely used in fizzy drinks, squashes, yoghurts, spring water, chewing gum and pharmaceutical products, and often sold under the names NutraSweet and Canderel, could be banned. Last night, Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker, who is campaigning for NutraSweet to be taken off the shelves added: "This is a very positive step. Doubts have been raised about this product and they need to be cleared."

Last September, the Sunday Express led calls for an inquiry after our investigations discovered large numbers of people were claiming their health had been damaged by the sweetener. They included Lyn Hunter, 49, of Liverpool, who regularly drank diet drinks with Aspartame and had pain in her limbs, headaches, lack of concentration and insomnia. Her constant pain became so great she even considered suicide. Her doctor treated her for arthritis even though tests for this condition were negative. When she eliminated Aspartame her symptoms disappeared.

The leaked letter from food scientist Dr Sandy Lawrie expresses concern that Aspartame has not been reviewed by the Scientific Committee on Food for 13 years. It states: "We have discovered more than 500 papers on Aspartame published between 1988 and 2000. There is clearly sufficient new data on Aspartame to justify a review."

Sources at the agency say that if scientists find strong evidence about dangers of a product, they will advise an EU-wide ban. A spokeswoman for European manufacturers of Aspartame, Ajinomoto, said: "All of the good scientific data shows it is safe. No data raises any concerns about Aspartame either new or old."

However, many studies which have not been sponsored by the food industry highlight potential dangers. Professor Ralph Walton of Northwestern Ohio Universities said: "I dispute the assertion that there are no health risks. I believe Aspartame increases risk of cancer. Virtually all the studies attesting to its safety have been funded by the industry."

One independent study on animals shows how digestion breaks Aspartame down into formaldehyde, which accumulates in the animals' cells, damaging DNA and poisoning the liver, kidneys, eye and brain. However, the manufacturers argue that all the constituents of Aspartame are found in much greater quantities in natural drinks such as milk and tomato juice, and are not considered a health risk.

In the US, there are now five Aspartame detox centres. Symptoms reported to America's Food and Drug Administration include headaches, skin problems, stomach disorders, poor vision, depression, carbohydrate cravings, panic attacks, irregular heart rhythms and seizures.

For more information send an SAE to Geoff Brewer, Additives Survivors Network, 63 Downlands Road, Devizes, SN10 5EF or visit the online support group at www.dorway.com
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Betty Martini, Founder, Mission Possible International
1-770-242-2599 www.dorway.com

Phillip Day: A few months ago, EClub featured reports on aspartame, saccharin and sugar. The above Express article is a classic illustration of how the public is waking up and creating pressure to outlaw substances that are known to cause harm. Aspartame banning is one of the central planks of the new Campaign for Truth in Medicine, which launches this July globally. All recipients of this newsletter will automatically be enrolled in CTM, which offers a free membership to anyone who wishes to join its ranks and push for global reform in the major areas of health and food safety.
Phillip Day
Director
Credence Research
Tel: +44 1622 832277
Fax: +44 870 137 7441