It uncovered eight WHO panelists involved with assessing safe levels of aspartame consumption who are beverage industry consultants who currently or previously worked with the alleged Coke front group, International Life Sciences Institute (Ilsi).

Their involvement in developing intake guidelines represents “an obvious conflict of interest”, said Gary Ruskin, US Right-To-Know’s executive director. “Because of this conflict of interest, [the daily intake] conclusions about aspartame are not credible, and the public should not rely on them,” he added.

  • DarkWasp@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    39
    ·
    1 year ago

    I was under the impression the research showed that there was a risk but you needed to consume an exorbitant amount to get there. Around 20+ cans of coke a day which the majority of people don’t do.

    • Hot Saucerman@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      arrow-down
      8
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Around 20+ cans of coke a day which the majority of people don’t do.

      This guy has never met an American. Ever heard of a Big Gulp? We literally had private companies engineer bigger soda cups to handle how much fucking soda Americans drink.

      • jonsnowman@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        21
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        I dont necessarily disagree with your overall point about Americans drinking a lot of soda, but I don’t think pointing out that a company makes a cup a little smaller than 3 cans of soda is a very strong counterargument to the claim that it takes 20+ to be harmful…

        • Hot Saucerman@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          8
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          1 year ago

          The largest Big Gulp is 50oz and when I was a kid, people leaned on free refills for them. A 50oz is almost a whole 2-liter.

          You’re not wrong, it’s not the best example, but I’ve seen people go through numerous Big Gulps a day.

          Hell, when I worked overnight as a security guard, one of my fellow guards who drink an entire 2-liter of Mountain Dew to himself every night.

          It’s hard for me to think about because I can’t even get through a whole 16oz without stopping halfway because it’s too syrupy.

          • chakan2@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            8
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            1 year ago

            A 2 liter a day is still miles away from the amount you’d need to drink to reach unsafe levels.

            I think you’d have to drink 3+ a day before you’re at unsafe levels if you’re 150lbs (and…well…if we are shitting on eating habits, 150 is a very light American).

      • HughJanus@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        We literally had private companies engineer bigger soda cups to handle how much fucking soda Americans drink.

        This is a really weird statement. Like it was some sort of feat of engineering to manufacture larger cups.

        • Hot Saucerman@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          7
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          Very arguably, with 1970’s manufacturing standards, and how much 32 ounces of liquid weighs, it was an engineering feat at the time. So much so that the originals looked more like a milk carton.

          https://physicalculturestudy.com/2017/08/31/the-history-of-the-big-gulp/

          Potts’s desperation caught the attention of Coca-Cola, who in 1976 sent representatives to the merchandise manager with a strange proposition. Coca Cola wanted to create a new 32 ounce cup for their drinks, a previously unheard of amount. The largest size at the time was 20 ounces, and even that was considered to be monstrous. Instinctively Potts refused, claiming that the Cups were “too damn big” and in Potts’s defence, he was right. The design for the 32-ounce cups was square on the bottom and resembled your average milk cartoon.

      • DarkWasp@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        1 year ago

        This is fair lol. I’m Canadian and when I was 17-20 I’d consume around 4-6 cans a day which was a crazy amount to myself and most people. 20+ seems nuts just financially.

      • ours@lemmy.film
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        ·
        1 year ago

        Remind me of the “Parks and rec” joke about “child-sized soda”: it’s the size of a small child!