Researcher: Artificial Sweetener Linked to Cancer

Aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in nearly 6,000 products, including diet sodas, ice cream and certain medicines, has been the source of controversy in recent months.

The Food and Drug Administration said aspartame is safe, but one critic disagrees with that assessment.

Soffritti's years of research on rats links aspartame to a higher risk of certain cancers.

"It increases incidence of lymphomas and leukemia's," Soffritti said.

Last week, the FDA released a statement on Soffritti's research, saying there were "significant shortcomings" in the data made available and the agency "finds no reason to alter its previous conclusion that aspartame is safe."

Soffritti has released the results of another study. In the study, rats were exposed to aspartame their entire lives, even in the womb like most human children. He said in the study, he found a higher rate of cancer in the rats.