Diet Coke Sweetener Under Examination

Aspartame is drunk on a daily basis by many millions of people across the world in nearly 6,000 well-known brands of drink, foods and medicine.
However, aspartame has been the subject of a number of studies that appear to show harmful effects on human health .
A recent study has made an association between diet drinks containing aspartame to premature births; yet another has suggested it can cause cancer .
Until now health watchdogs have dismissed any impact of aspartame on ill-health.
Many MEPs have stated that a new investigation ought to be undertaken due to pressure from European health campaigners.
EU Commission officials have now asked the EFSA to bring forward a review which had been planned for 2020.
Aspartame contains methanol, a nerve toxin which can be metabolised in the body to form two more nerve toxins: formic acid and formaldehyde, the chemical which used to preserve dead bodies.