Soft Drinks (photo by Arker, courtesy of morguefile.com)

A new study, conducted by the respected Ramazzini Foundation of Bologna, Italy and published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, showed that aspartame may cause leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer in rats. Aspartame is widely used in diet soft drinks, including the most well known brands, and is also served in packets of sweetener for coffee and tea under popular brand names.

The nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately review the study.

“Because aspartame is so widely consumed, it is urgent that the FDA evaluate whether aspartame still poses a ‘reasonable certainty of no harm,’ the standard used for gauging the safety of food additives,” said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson. “But consumers, particularly parents, shouldn’t wait for the FDA to act. People shouldn’t panic, but they should stop buying beverages and foods containing aspartame.”

To read a report on the new study from Reuters posted by MSNBC go to: FDA urged to review sweetener’s link to cancer

To read the CSPI's call for the FDA review the study go to: FDA Should Reconsider Aspartame Cancer Risk, Say Experts

To read a previous post on another health risk associated with soft drinks go to: Safety of Soft Drinks Under Scrutiny