It uncovered eight WHO panelists involved with assessing safe levels of aspartame consumption who are beverage industry consultants who currently or previously worked with the alleged Coke front group, International Life Sciences Institute (Ilsi).
Their involvement in developing intake guidelines represents “an obvious conflict of interest”, said Gary Ruskin, US Right-To-Know’s executive director. “Because of this conflict of interest, [the daily intake] conclusions about aspartame are not credible, and the public should not rely on them,” he added.
My point is that just because a compound is simple or easily understood doesn’t mean it is safe. What if excess phenylalanine is toxic? It’s not completely outside of the realm of possibility.
For the record, I agree with you that it is unlikely that aspartame is toxic and the only studies that show this use non-human analogues. It is, however, important to play devil’s advocate in scientific settings.