Makgeolli and Food Industry Hit by Fallout... Accelerating 탈Aspartame Trend? (Comprehensive)

Aspartame Carcinogen Classification Notice
Makgeolli Association Plans Discussion with MFDS if Confirmed
Alternative Sweetener Recipe Development Expected to Accelerate

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), under the World Health Organization (WHO), is reportedly planning to classify aspartame, an artificial sweetener used as a sugar substitute, as a possible carcinogen. This is expected to intensify discussions about cutting ties with aspartame across the food and beverage industry, including the Makgeolli sector.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to industry sources on the 4th, some products from major Makgeolli companies such as Seoul Jangsoo, Kooksoondang, and Jipyeong Brewery have been found to contain aspartame. Known to be 200 times sweeter than sugar, aspartame is a food additive used to provide sweetness in processed foods and is used in over 200 countries worldwide. In South Korea, it is used not only in Makgeolli but also in soft drinks, chewing gum, and syrups, recently gaining attention as an alternative to sugar, which is linked to hypertension and obesity.

Makgeolli companies using aspartame are generally taken aback by the controversy, as they use only small amounts?on average about 0.0025%?in some products according to legal standards. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, an adult weighing 60 kg would have to drink 33 bottles of 750 ml Makgeolli (containing 72.7 ml of aspartame) daily to reach the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of aspartame. The ADI refers to the amount per kilogram of body weight that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without harmful effects. This means that so far, the use of aspartame itself has not posed significant problems.

Seoul Jangsu 'Jangsu Saeng Makgeolli'

However, since the controversy has already grown, the industry plans to respond quickly in line with guidelines from relevant authorities once they are established. Nam Do-hee, Secretary General of the Korea Makgeolli Association, explained, “We believe that clear government policies and Ministry of Food and Drug Safety standards need to be established before we can accept changes and take concrete measures. If aspartame is classified as a possible carcinogen by WHO, we plan to discuss whether to exclude aspartame from additives or change the risk threshold. Currently, we have notified member companies of the Ministry’s risk standards and are closely monitoring the situation.”

Regardless of WHO’s classification or subsequent actions by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, individual companies are expected to accelerate efforts to exclude aspartame from their products. Given the spread of information that aspartame is a possible carcinogen, companies believe it is more effective to emphasize that their products do not contain aspartame rather than trying to persuade consumers about its safety. Secretary General Nam said, “Since aspartame has been stigmatized as a carcinogen, concerns about reduced consumption are growing. From the perspective of companies, where consumer response is most important, research and development for alternative sweeteners will accelerate in the short term.”

The Makgeolli industry states that changing recipes to apply alternative sweeteners is not a major challenge. Many companies already have alternative recipes secured, and although some natural sweeteners may face supply issues due to difficulties in mass production, the technological and cost burdens are not significant. Additionally, the steady increase in Makgeolli products without sweeteners, including those without aspartame, helps reduce industry concerns. An industry insider explained, “Recipe changes are quite feasible. However, if additives are changed, there may be subtle differences in taste, which could require time for consumer evaluation.”

Lotte Chilsung Beverage 'Pepsi Zero Sugar'

Not only Makgeolli companies but also other food and beverage companies with products containing aspartame are preparing countermeasures. For example, Lotte Chilsung Beverage, which uses small amounts of aspartame in three Pepsi Zero variants (Lime, Mango, Black), has begun discussions with its global headquarters, PepsiCo, which holds authority over manufacturing methods, about whether to use aspartame substitutes. Currently, Lotte Chilsung receives the concentrate from PepsiCo and bottles it domestically.

The confectionery industry is also searching for sweeteners to replace aspartame. It has been confirmed that some products from major confectionery companies Orion and Crown Confectionery contain aspartame. Orion’s products include about ten items such as Pokachip and Whale Snack, while Crown Confectionery has one product, Corn Chip Sweet Corn Flavor. Both companies plan to proactively start replacing raw materials since these products contain trace amounts of aspartame.

Companies that do not use aspartame are actively clarifying their stance and distancing themselves from the controversy. On the 1st, Kwangdong Pharmaceutical issued a press release stating, “Vita 500 and Vita 500 Zero are unrelated to the artificial sweetener aspartame. Aspartame is not included in these products or any other beverages from our company.” Additionally, Lotte Wellfood and Hite Jinro also announced that they do not use aspartame in their products.

Meanwhile, the IARC and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) will independently announce their evaluation results on aspartame on the 14th. IARC will analyze about 1,300 studies to assess the carcinogenic risk of aspartame, while JECFA will evaluate the acceptable daily intake and dietary exposure of aspartame and release its findings.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.