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Letter to Editor – New Zealand Listener (29th August 2007): Aspartame

Dear Editor

Sally Blundell’s summary of the current debate surrounding aspartame (September 1) is unbalanced.

It is the role of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) to protect New Zealand consumers by providing advice based on sound science and evidence-based information. In the case of the safety of aspartame, this is what NZFSA has been doing consistently, together with all of the other reputable food safety agencies around the world. Anecdotal evidence from two lay people and one researcher does not outweigh the combined opinion of the international scientific and food safety communities.

If there was any independent evidence for even a fraction of the claims being made against aspartame by lobbyist groups, the NZFSA and other credible scientific authorities would certainly be looking to caution the public. Such evidence continues to be conspicuous by its absence.

On the other hand, there is plenty of evidence for obesity being a major health issue in New Zealand, and its association with major illnesses including cancer. Safe, no-calorie alternatives to high calorie sweet foods are a useful means of reducing those excess calories from our diet. To move people away from products containing low-calorie sweeteners and lead them back to energy-dense foods and beverages simply adds to the obesity problem, and creates unnecessary confusion about food and nutrition.

Our agencies work hard to prevent this type of misinformation about food and nutrition issues.

New Zealand Food Safety Authority

(C/- Sandra Daly, Deputy Chief Executive)

Level 7, South Tower, 68-86 Jervois Quay

PO Box 2835, Wellington

Phone : 04 8942503

New Zealand Dietetic Association

(C/- Jan Milne, Executive Director)

Level 2, 85 Victoria Street

PO Box 5065, Wellington 6145

New Zealand Nutrition Foundation

(C/- Kelsey Woodcock, Nutritionist)

36B Hurstmere Road

P.O. Box 331 366, Takapuna

Auckland 1332