Fact check - Rumor from the net: cancer risk from Aperol Spritz?
A refreshing Aperol Spritz on a cool summer evening - for some, it doesn't get any better. In social media, it is claimed that the colorants of Aperol are extremely harmful and carcinogenic. A fact-check on how harmful Aperol really is.
Claim
Due to the strongly carcinogenic colorants, Aperol Spritz should not be consumed at all.
Rating
Misleading.
Facts
Aperol is a brand of the Campari Group. The Italian liqueur is often used as an aperitif or in cocktails. Aperol Spritz refers to a mixture with Prosecco and mineral water. Discount stores often offer similar counterfeit brands.
Its distinctive orange-red color is due to the two added artificial colorants E 110 (Orange-Yellow S) and E 124 (Cochineal Red A), whose base is oil. These so-called azo dyes are considered "highly controversial," as stated by the Berlin Consumer Center. They can therefore lead to pseudoallergic reactions such as skin irritations and asthma in people who are allergic to aspirin or generally prone to allergies.
But do they increase the cancer risk? The amounts used in food are considered harmless. Both colorants are approved food additives. According to the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL), additives are only approved if certain criteria are met. Among other things, this includes the demonstration that the substance is safe for health.
Limited Permissions
A permission often applies only to certain food categories and limited maximum quantities. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has also set daily intake limits for E 110 and E 124: For E 110, the maximum amount is four grams per kilogram of body weight, for E 124 it is 0.7 grams. In spirits like Aperol, both colorants and others of the same category may be used in a total concentration of up to 200 grams per liter.
Therefore, a person with a body weight of 70 kg can consume up to 490 ml of Aperol daily without exceeding the recommended limits, explains the Consumer Center. Significant for this calculation is the assumption that up to 100 grams per liter may be present in Aperol. The result with about half a liter of Aperol corresponds to approximately eight glasses of the summer drink Aperol Spritz.
Study findings thin
Regarding how and to what extent E 110 and E 124 are carcinogenic, studies have provided different results. According to the Consumer Center, for example, the cancer risk in mice increased - but only with long-term administration in high concentrations. However, other countries are already much more restrictive with E 124. In the USA, for example, the use of the food additive in food is completely banned.
Regarding E 110, experts from the Hamburg Environmental Institute refer to possible kidney tumors in animals, but caution: No such connection has been proven for humans in studies so far.
Definitely carcinogenic: Alcohol.
To consider when evaluating is also another content matter: alcohol. Experts have long considered it established that there is a direct link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk. This applies in particular to colon cancer and liver cancer, as it is called at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). Approximately four percent of annual cancer cases in Germany can therefore be attributed directly to alcohol. In addition, there are potential health consequences such as stroke, heart failure, alcohol addiction, and psychological disorders.
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- The claim on social media suggests that the carcinogenic colorants in Aperol increase the cancer risk significantly.
- Aperol, a product of the Campari Group, is a popular Italian liqueur often used as an aperitif or in cocktails.
- The Berlin Consumer Center views the azo dyes E 110 and E 124 as highly controversial due to their potential to cause pseudoallergic reactions.
- Although considered carcinogenic, the amounts of E 110 and E 124 used in food are considered harmless.
- The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has set daily intake limits for E 110 and E 124, which can be exceeded with higher consumption of Aperol or other food and drink containing these colorants.
- Discounter stores often offer similar counterfeit brands to Aperol, which may contain different and potentially harmful substances.
- The Consumer Advice Center Berlin encourages people to be mindful of their alcohol intake, as it is a known risk factor for several diseases.
- Rumors online suggest that E 110 is linked to kidney tumors in animals, but no such connection has been proven in humans.
- A fact-check revealed that alcohol is the definite carcinogenic element in Aperol Spritz, contributing to approximately 4% of annual cancer cases in Germany.
- Consumers should take both the safety of Aperol's colorants and its alcohol content into account when evaluating the health implications of drinking Aperol Spritz.
- For more reliable information on the subject, it is recommended to consult trustworthy sources like the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) or the Consumer Advice Center Berlin.
