James Wong, a science writer, shared a Tweet which read: “According to the WHO aspartame is as carcinogenic as aloe vera and pickled veg. And less carcinogenic than eating red meat, drinking hot drinks, or being a hairdresser.”

“It’s rather like reporting an earthquake measuring 2 on the Richter scale hit a major city, without explaining that earthquakes of 2.5 or less are rarely felt, but can be measured on a seismograph,” he added.