How Aspartame Became a Common Sugar Substitute

This is a true story that has been known for a long time, though not many people are aware of it or the real implications concerning food safety and the politics behind this. How aspartame became a common ingredient in almost everything we eat and drink is interesting, disturbing and full of politics.

The Early History of Sugar Substitutes

Saccharine, accidentally discovered in 1879, is a coal-tar derivative that contains no nutritional value and is 300 times sweeter than sugar. By 1907, saccharine was used as a sweetener mainly in canned foods. Just five years later, it was banned. World War I caused a sugar shortage and once again saccharine was allowed to be used and declared safe.

In 1950 a new sugar substitute, cyclamates, was approved for use by the FDA. By the mid 1960s, cyclamates and saccharine were widely used in many soft drinks and food.

The Discovery of Aspartame

Aspartame was accidentally discovered in 1965 at G. D. Searle and Company. Dr. James Schlatter and his team were working on an ulcer drug, when he discovered something that tasted very sweet. This chemical was almost 200 times sweeter than sugar and had no calories.

Before any new food additive can be used in foods, there has to be extensive testing and get FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval. G. D. Searle and Company began testing aspartame in 1967 as a sugar substitute.

New testing had been done and found that cyclamates caused bladder tumors in mice. In 1970, the FDA banned cyclamates for any use in food or beverages. This left saccharine as the only sugar substitute on the market and there has always been a suspicion that saccharine also caused cancer.

The Testing of Aspartame

In 1969, G. D. Searle hired Dr. Harold Waisman, a leading researcher on the toxic effects of phenylalanine to begin the studies. Phenylalanine is a main amino acid in aspartame. This first study began in January 1971 and used seven Rhesus monkeys that were fed a diet of aspartame for one year and then were supposed to be studied for behavioral and learning abilities. Dr. Waisman died unexpectedly a year later and G. D. Searle submitted this study to the FDA in October 1972 without ever testing the monkeys. One monkey died at the 300 day mark and five had grad mal seizures. To this day, there are many questions about this first study [1].

The Department of Health Education and Welfare accused G. D. Searle of too many deviations from standard research practices, concealing information and lying about the loss of other data. After this test, Searle conducted numerous other studies.

In July 1974, the FDA approved G. D. Searle’s petition for the use of aspartame as a food additive with restrictions. This approval was partially based on 150 studies and especially 25 key studies submitted by Searle to the FDA. Before the approval could go into effect, there would be a 30-day window for public comments.

Public Comments and Investigations

The first objection came from Dr. John Olney and James Turner. Their objections were based on their own research that aspartame could cause brain damage, mental retardation and endocrine dysfunction. Also at this time, preliminary results and an audit of the studies submitted by Searle found that a review into the authenticity of these studies was needed.

In 1976, the FDA found that at least one of the studies found that beyond any reasonable doubt, aspartame can cause brain tumors in experimental animals. The FDA also concluded that the acceptable daily intake is associated with unacceptable risks of tumors and that the integrity of certain tests conducted by Searle and Company was questionable.

In January 1977, The Department of Health, Education and Welfare urged US Attorney Samuel Skinner to convene a grand jury investigation based on violations by Searle and three of its officers. These violations included they had willfully and knowingly not filed certain reports with the FDA, made false statements and concealed facts pertaining to the animal studies.

In 1979, the FDA set up a public board of inquiry and in February 1980 reported the following findings.

• Aspartame did not pose an increased risk of endocrine dysfunction or brain damage.
• The board did rule that aspartame could cause cancer.
• The board ruled that aspartame should not be on the market until further testing had been done.

Politics and the Final Approval of Aspartame

At the same time US Attorney Samuel Skinner held the grand jury investigation, job negotiations with Mr. Skinner and the law firm that represented G. D. Searle were also going on. In June 1977, Mr. Skinner left the US Attorney’s office and took a job with G. D. Searle’s law firm.

In March 1977, G. D. Searle hired Donald Rumsfeld as their CEO. Rumsfeld had recently been Secretary of Defense during President Ford’s administration. Donald Rumsfeld was also Chief of Staff in 1974-1975 and a four term congressman. 

G. D. Searle CEO Donald Rumsfeld stated during a January 1981 sales meeting that “he would call in all his markers and that no matter what, he would see to it that aspartame would be approved that year" [2].

January 1981, Ronald Regan is sworn in as president. Donald Rumsfeld is part of the transition team while still CEO of Searle. The transition team also names Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes Jr. as the new FDA Commissioner.

On July 15, 1981, Dr. Hayes ignored the public board of inquiry and recommendations of his own FDA and approves aspartame (Nutra-Sweet) for use in dry foods.

In 1982, G. D. Searle applied for approval for the use of aspartame in soft drinks. But the National Soft Drink Association asked the FDA to delay this approval pending further testing. Aspartame is unstable at high temperatures and when liquid aspartame is stored at temperatures above 85 F, it can turn into DKP and formaldehyde, both toxic to humans. By the fall of 1983, aspartame is sold to the public in soft drinks.

In 1983, FDA commissioner Hayes has to resign because of a controversy about his unauthorized rides on private jets owned by General Foods, a large customer of Nutra-Sweet.

In 1985, G. D. Searle sold their Nutra-Sweet division to Monsanto for $2.7 billion.

The Controversy about Aspartame Continues

To this day, there is still a great deal of mistrust concerning the FDA and the approval of Aspartame. In 1993, the FDA approved the use of aspartame in heated foods and in 1996; the FDA removed all restrictions with regard to the uses of aspartame. You can now find aspartame in packets of NutraSweet, Equal Classic, beverages, gum, mints, cereals, pudding, cookies, ice cream, yogurts, fruit spreads, vitamins, prescription and over-the-counter medicines and much more.

Today, the FDA continues to receive and compile consumer health complaints related to aspartame and Nutra-Sweet. In 1995, the FDA was forced to release a list of complaints from 10,000 consumers, complaints that listed 95 symptoms. Aspartame is responsible for 75% of the complaints to the FDA.

Recent Sugar Substitute News

• The name aspartame will be changed to AminoSweet.
• There have been reports that the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) will release a new list of potentially dangerous chemicals. This list will include aspartame [3].
• A new sugar substitute will come on the market with the name of Neotame from Monsanto. The FDA will not require this on food labels [4].

Copyright © February 2012 Sam Montana

References and Resources

[1] Quality Assurance Synthasite

[2] Quality Assurance Synthasite

[3] EPA Proposed List of Dangerous Chemicals

[4] NaturalNews.com

Harvard Law School – Legal Electronic Document Archive