The Ministry of Health said in a statement that the mainland, which approved Stevioside as a food additive in 1984, found no cases where the sweetener had caused health problems.

The statement said the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations examined Stevioside in 1998 and did not find it harmful to humans.

The mainland gave approval for the sweetener to be used in drinks, candies and cakes in 1984, and then expanded its use to French fries, seasoning, preserved fruits and melon seeds.

Stevioside is a plant extract that is sweeter than sugar but contains less calories, which is good for preventing diabetes and hypertension.

The Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department last week pulled 71 products off supermarket shelves, which contained unapproved Stevioside.

The action came after Singapore supermarkets stopped the sale of several brands of instant noodles and crackers found to contain Stevioside.

These actions triggered reports that Stevioside is suspected of causing cancer, sparking panic among buyers.

You Xin, former vice-director of the food department at the Ministry of Light Industry, led a two-year study on Stevioside in 1982. Xin said the study, which involved industry experts and cost 2 million yuan (US$241,500), found that Stevioside is definitely safe.

Their conclusion led the country to approve the sweetener in 1984.

Since then, China continued to conduct experiments and tracked the use of Stevioside in other parts of the world, and no health problems have been found, he said.

An unnamed spokesman at the Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department stressed that their department did not conclude that Stevioside was cancer-causing or poisonous.

(China Daily March 28, 2002)