The Canadian Cancer Society is recommending that people stay within existing daily limits of aspartame consumption and encouraging more studies on the artificial sweetener after the World Health Organization deemed it “possibly carcinogenic.”
The classification “means that there’s limited evidence suggesting that it may cause cancer in humans and that additional research is needed,” said Elizabeth Holmes, director of health policy at the Canadian Cancer Society, in an interview on Friday.
Holmes said the society welcomes research proposals on aspartame and will consider funding them.
Two WHO-affiliated agencies conducted two independent reviews to assess health risks associated with consumption of aspartame, which is commonly found in diet beverages, gum and sugar-free sweet treats such as syrup or gelatin dessert.
In reviewing available studies in both humans and animals, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) found limited evidence that aspartame could be associated with a type of liver cancer.But the findings could not rule out the possibility that other variables might account for the link.
Better studies, including randomized controlled trials, are needed to determine more definitively whether or not aspartame causes cancer, the study summary said.
There was “no convincing evidence” to suggest current recommendations on safely eating or drinking aspartame should be changed, it said.
Health Canada and the WHO both recommend a daily limit of 40 mg of aspartame per kilogram of body weight.
A WHO news release breaks it down: since a can of diet soda contains about 200 — 300 mg of aspartame, an adult who weighs 70 kg would need to consume more than nine to 14 cans per day to exceed that limit.
David Ma, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Guelph, said the daily aspartame consumption of most Canadians likely falls within that limit.
“Unfortunately, there are probably a few individuals drinking (above) that level. So those would be the ones that should be most concerned about their intake,” Ma said.
In an emailed statement, Health Canada said it will review the research and “determine whether action is needed for aspartame in Canada based on the scientific data in the full reports.”
The WHO has four classification levels for items assessed for their potential to cause cancer: carcinogenic to humans, probably carcinogenic to humans, possibly carcinogenic to humans, and not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans.
Those levels are based on how strong the evidence is that something, including food, drink, chemicals and environmental hazards, is linked with cancer. The classification levels aren’t a statement about the “degree of risk” of developing cancer. The risk often varies with the amount consumed or levels of exposure. The type of cancer the food or drink is linked to also varies.
Tobacco, alcohol and processed meat are among more than 120 items currently classified as carcinogenic on the WHO’s website. There are more than 90 items listed as “probable” carcinogens, including red meat.
When it comes to “possible” carcinogens such as aspartame, more than 320 items are listed. They include many chemicals, such as chloroform and lead.
It’s important to think of substances listed as carcinogenic, probably carcinogenic or possibly carcinogenic as “hazards” rather than “risks,” Ma said.
For example, driving a car is inherently a hazard, he said. But the risk of injury is lowered by actions that we take.
“We accept that because overall, on a daily basis, millions and millions of people drive and the risk is relatively low because we put on our seat belt, we follow the rules of the road, we do not drive dangerously at high speeds,” Ma said.
Similarly, aspartame is a “hazard” but “the level of risk is low” if we don’t consume too much, he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2023.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese technology group SoftBank swung back to profitability in the July-September quarter, boosted by positive results in its Vision Fund investments.
Tokyo-based SoftBank Group Corp. reported Tuesday a fiscal second quarter profit of nearly 1.18 trillion yen ($7.7 billion), compared with a 931 billion yen loss in the year-earlier period.
Quarterly sales edged up about 6% to nearly 1.77 trillion yen ($11.5 billion).
SoftBank credited income from royalties and licensing related to its holdings in Arm, a computer chip-designing company, whose business spans smartphones, data centers, networking equipment, automotive, consumer electronic devices, and AI applications.
The results were also helped by the absence of losses related to SoftBank’s investment in office-space sharing venture WeWork, which hit the previous fiscal year.
WeWork, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2023, emerged from Chapter 11 in June.
SoftBank has benefitted in recent months from rising share prices in some investment, such as U.S.-based e-commerce company Coupang, Chinese mobility provider DiDi Global and Bytedance, the Chinese developer of TikTok.
SoftBank’s financial results tend to swing wildly, partly because of its sprawling investment portfolio that includes search engine Yahoo, Chinese retailer Alibaba, and artificial intelligence company Nvidia.
SoftBank makes investments in a variety of companies that it groups together in a series of Vision Funds.
The company’s founder, Masayoshi Son, is a pioneer in technology investment in Japan. SoftBank Group does not give earnings forecasts.
Shopify Inc. executives brushed off concerns that incoming U.S. President Donald Trump will be a major detriment to many of the company’s merchants.
“There’s nothing in what we’ve heard from Trump, nor would there have been anything from (Democratic candidate) Kamala (Harris), which we think impacts the overall state of new business formation and entrepreneurship,” Shopify’s chief financial officer Jeff Hoffmeister told analysts on a call Tuesday.
“We still feel really good about all the merchants out there, all the entrepreneurs that want to start new businesses and that’s obviously not going to change with the administration.”
Hoffmeister’s comments come a week after Trump, a Republican businessman, trounced Harris in an election that will soon return him to the Oval Office.
On the campaign trail, he threatened to impose tariffs of 60 per cent on imports from China and roughly 10 per cent to 20 per cent on goods from all other countries.
If the president-elect makes good on the promise, many worry the cost of operating will soar for companies, including customers of Shopify, which sells e-commerce software to small businesses but also brands as big as Kylie Cosmetics and Victoria’s Secret.
These merchants may feel they have no choice but to pass on the increases to customers, perhaps sparking more inflation.
If Trump’s tariffs do come to fruition, Shopify’s president Harley Finkelstein pointed out China is “not a huge area” for Shopify.
However, “we can’t anticipate what every presidential administration is going to do,” he cautioned.
He likened the uncertainty facing the business community to the COVID-19 pandemic where Shopify had to help companies migrate online.
“Our job is no matter what comes the way of our merchants, we provide them with tools and service and support for them to navigate it really well,” he said.
Finkelstein was questioned about the forthcoming U.S. leadership change on a call meant to delve into Shopify’s latest earnings, which sent shares soaring 27 per cent to $158.63 shortly after Tuesday’s market open.
The Ottawa-based company, which keeps its books in U.S. dollars, reported US$828 million in net income for its third quarter, up from US$718 million in the same quarter last year, as its revenue rose 26 per cent.
Revenue for the period ended Sept. 30 totalled US$2.16 billion, up from US$1.71 billion a year earlier.
Subscription solutions revenue reached US$610 million, up from US$486 million in the same quarter last year.
Merchant solutions revenue amounted to US$1.55 billion, up from US$1.23 billion.
Shopify’s net income excluding the impact of equity investments totalled US$344 million for the quarter, up from US$173 million in the same quarter last year.
Daniel Chan, a TD Cowen analyst, said the results show Shopify has a leadership position in the e-commerce world and “a continued ability to gain market share.”
In its outlook for its fourth quarter of 2024, the company said it expects revenue to grow at a mid-to-high-twenties percentage rate on a year-over-year basis.
“Q4 guidance suggests Shopify will finish the year strong, with better-than-expected revenue growth and operating margin,” Chan pointed out in a note to investors.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
TORONTO – RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust says it has cut almost 10 per cent of its staff as it deals with a slowdown in the condo market and overall pushes for greater efficiency.
The company says the cuts, which amount to around 60 employees based on its last annual filing, will mean about $9 million in restructuring charges and should translate to about $8 million in annualized cash savings.
The job cuts come as RioCan and others scale back condo development plans as the market softens, but chief executive Jonathan Gitlin says the reductions were from a companywide efficiency effort.
RioCan says it doesn’t plan to start any new construction of mixed-use properties this year and well into 2025 as it adjusts to the shifting market demand.
The company reported a net income of $96.9 million in the third quarter, up from a loss of $73.5 million last year, as it saw a $159 million boost from a favourable change in the fair value of investment properties.
RioCan reported what it says is a record-breaking 97.8 per cent occupancy rate in the quarter including retail committed occupancy of 98.6 per cent.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
