The following is the response to WBAL-TV's questions on Splenda as provided by McNeil Nutritionals LLC:
In April 2012 an Italian lab commented that they found evidence of a link between sucralose and leukemia in mice but this hasn’t been published yet. Would you like to comment?
The report from the Italian research group about sucralose, the sweetening ingredient in SPLENDA® Sweetener Products, contradicts the extensive evidence that demonstrates sucralose is safe for all populations, including children and women who are nursing or pregnant. This safety record is based on more than 110 studies conducted over 20 years and includes rigorous testing to specifically identify any potential to cancer. Worldwide health and regulatory authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Food Safety Authority, Health Canada, and the World Health Organization, have reviewed these studies and confirm that the results show no link between sucralose and any form of cancer. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) are among numerous health organizations that support this conclusion: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/artificial-sweeteners
It’s important to note that food safety authorities have found previous sweetener research from this Italian laboratory to be unacceptable, partly because it did not follow industry standards essential for assessing safety. Therefore, this new study on sucralose from this same laboratory must be carefully reviewed by health safety experts to evaluate the credibility of its research methods and conclusions.
Sucralose has been enjoyed safely by millions of people around the world for over 20 years. Combined with a weight management program and physical activity, sucralose can be an excellent tool for people seeking a healthy lifestyle.
Michael Jacobson of Center for Science in the Public Interest said it looks like Splenda is the safest of the artificial sweeteners, but he also feels long-term studies on sucralose would be useful. Would you like to comment?
The long-term safety of sucralose has been well-established and was investigated following research standards set by health and food safety authorities from around the world. Over 110 scientific studies, representing research conducted over 20 years, has shown that sucralose is safe for everyone, including women who are nursing or pregnant and children. In the assessment of new food ingredients, extremely high doses are tested in appropriate animal models to intentionally increase the risk of finding an adverse effect and to help determine a threshold toxicity level, and these doses are used daily for over a lifetime to rigorously assess potential long-term effects. These studies showed sucralose to be safe for daily use in amounts hundreds of times greater than what is ever expected to be eaten. Sucralose has been used throughout the world by millions of people since 1991 and there are no warning labels on the products to exclude anyone from enjoying SPLENDA® Brand Sweetener.