A study commissioned by UK's Food Standards Agency to determine whether aspartame presents health risks and if action is needed to protect the public found that "the results presented did not indicate any need for action to protect the health of the public." The study was conducted by Hull York Medical School and results were discussed by the UK's Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environmen (COT).

In reviewing the results, COT found no need for action to protect public health, though full minutes of the discussion have not been published as the study report was submitted to a peer reviewed journal.

The study recorded effects from eating a snack bar with our without aspartame. It recruited individuals who reported reactions after consuming aspartame as well as a control group of individuals who consume foods containing aspartame regularly with no problems. For more on the study, click here.