Regulation of the Food Additive Aspartame

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a regulation approving the use of aspartame, an artificial sweetner. Later, questions were raised regarding adverse effects of the additive on health and FDA's legal authority for allowing a food additive regulation to remain in effect when scientific evidence has raised questions about the additive's safety. Before these questions were answered, preliminary results of an agency investigation indicated discrepancies existed in the data submitted in the support of aspartame's safety.