July 14 (Reuters) - Aspartame, one of the world's most
popular sweeteners, has been deemed a "possible carcinogen" by
two groups linked to the World Health Organization, though it
remains safe for consumption at already-agreed levels.
    The sugar substitute, used in products from diet sodas to
sugar-free yoghurts and cough drops, is a combination of two
amino acids - phenylalanine and aspartic.
    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which approved
aspartame in 1974, advises that products carry a warning label
for Phenylketonurics - people with a rare genetic disorder who
have difficulty in breaking down phenylalanine.
    Below are some food and beverage companies that mention
aspartame on their product label:
                                                 
 Name of        Parent Company   Aspartame       Warning label
 product                         mentioned in    for
                                 ingredient      Phenylketonuri
                                 list            cs
                                                 
 Diet Coke      Coca-Cola        Yes             Yes 
                                                 
 Diet Fanta     Coca-Cola        Yes             Yes
 Diet Sprite    Coca-Cola        Yes             No
 Diet Pepsi     PepsiCo          Yes             Yes
 Wild Cherry                                     
 Diet Mountain  PepsiCo          Yes             Yes
 Dew                                             
 Pepsi Zero     PepsiCo          Yes             No
 Sugar and                                       
 Diet Pepsi                                      
 Diet Mug Root  PepsiCo          Yes             Yes
 beer                                            
 Halls sugar    Mondelez         Yes             Yes
 free drops     International                    
                                                 
 Mrs.           Conagra Brands   Yes             No
 Butterworth's                                   
 sugar free                                      
 syrup                                           
 Snapple zero   Keurig Dr        Yes             No
 sugar tea and  Pepper                           
 juice drinks                                    
 Jell-O sugar   Kraft Heinz      Yes             Yes
 free gelatin                                    
 dessert mix                                     
 Mentos Pure    Perfetti Van     Yes             Yes
 Fresh Gum in   Melle                            
 fresh mint,                                     
 spearmint,                                      
 sweet mint                                      
 flavors                                         
 Equal zero     Whole Earth      Yes             Yes
 calorie        Brand                            
 sweetener                                       
 Trident sugar  Mondelez         Yes             Yes
 free           International                    
 peppermint                                      
 gum                                             
 Extra          Mars             Yes             Yes
 Spearmint                                       
 sugarfree                                       
 chewing gum                                     
 Sugar Twin 2   B&G Foods        Yes             Yes
 sweetener                                       
 packets                                         
 Cary's sugar   B&G Foods        Yes             Yes
 free low                                        
 calorie syrup                                   
  Source: US FDA, NCBI, company websites

 (Reporting by Granth Vanaik, Juveria Tabassum and Savyata
Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)