This is a poison which has masqueraded under several different names and has been condemned for many years. It is banned in many countries but the powerful Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States continue to ignore the dangers since they approved its use in 1981.

Some of the dangers are highlighted in a statement to the FDA on food labelling by Dr James Bowen. There are many web sites which go into greater detail and explain the many symptoms caused by aspartame which can be confused with other problems e.g. epilepsy.

The UK government, like their US counterparts refuse to take any action but thankfully British supermarkets are now taking a lead. Among others, Iceland, Marks and Spencer, Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda are taking active steps to remove this poison from products sold by them.

It's not just food where you'll find aspartame. It even finds its way into prescribed medicines and it seems not to concern doctors who prescribe medicines containing the substance. Supermarkets do not take action lightly which may affect their products or their profits but the most commercially aware of them are removing this poison from the foodstuffs they are selling.