Almost half of Belgian adults (47%) consume food containing aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in over 2,500 products across Europe, according to a YouGov survey published on Tuesday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified aspartame as potentially carcinogenic, prompting Foodwatch to deem it a "major public health issue" and initiate a European petition to ban it.
The survey was conducted in August across seven countries including Belgium on behalf of Foodwatch. It revealed that consumers are largely uninformed about the additives in their food.
Of the 1,052 Belgians surveyed, 72% said they were "not at all" or "not very" informed about the health and safety and health impact of additives in everyday food and drinks.
'No place in our food'
Despite this, 40% of Belgian respondents stated that the presence of additives does not influence their purchasing decisions.
In addition, 22% of those surveyed in Belgium believe sweeteners pose little health risk. However, the consumption of sweeteners is reportedly linked to an increased risk of cancer.
The WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer has indicated that aspartame is "possibly carcinogenic to humans."
Credit: Belga
"An additive with such risks has no place in our food or beverages," said Camille Dorioz, campaign director for Foodwatch France.
Highlighting the possible cancer risks associated with aspartame, Dorioz called on European policymakers to protect public health.
Foodwatch is launching a petition on World Cancer Day to demand the prohibition of aspartame.
