§ Mr. Cohenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the source and nature of the data relied upon to approve the use of aspartame in the United Kingdom; what action he proposes to take to protect consumers using this product; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerAspartame is permitted for use in food by the Sweeteners in Food Regulations 1983. It was fully evaluated for safety and need by our expert committees which recommended its use without restriction in all food (other than those manufactured specially for babies and young children where the criterion of need was not thought to be satisfied). A bibliography of the toxicological data considered by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment together with a summary of the committee's views about aspartame are contained in the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee's report on the review of sweeteners in food published in 1982.
Labels of prepackaged food are required to identify clearly the additives used in the food, and where the artificial sweetener aspartame is used it has to be indicated by name.