Gaza – Mohammed Tarek Al-Buheisi
Many public health safeguards have collapsed amid the genocidal war waged by the Israeli occupation on the Gaza Strip. At the same time, most essential food commodities have disappeared under the grip of famine. Among the most scarce is sugar, whose price, when available, ranges from $70 to $130 per kilo. This scarcity has opened the door for some merchants to sell artificial sweeteners as a substitute, products that have found wide acceptance among Gaza’s desperate population.
But a look at the medical background of these artificial sweeteners reveals the grave health dangers of their uncontrolled circulation and use, particularly in the absence of any form of official oversight.
“Almond Sugar”
Holding a small box of white powder in his hand, 36-year-old Imad Mansour’s face appears pale, his hands and face marked with red blotches. He explains:
“While walking through the market, I found vendors selling a product called ‘Almond Sugar.’ The seller told me it was a sugar substitute, so strong that one gram could sweeten at least two liters of water. With no sugar available for four months, and prices out of reach, I felt I had no choice but to buy it at 30 shekels per gram. I began using it without knowing its scientific name, proper dosage, or whether it carried any risks.”
A Dangerous Substance
Less than 10 days after using the product, Imad developed a high fever, and painful red patches appeared on his hands. He rushed to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah. Blood and urine tests revealed a severe allergy and acute urinary inflammation.
When reviewing his diet with the doctor, nothing seemed suspicious until Imad mentioned the sweetener he had recently used in tea and desserts. The doctor immediately identified it as the direct cause of his illness. He warned that Imad was fortunate: his body had reacted early. Otherwise, the substance could have accumulated in his cells, causing life-threatening conditions, including organ failure.
What Is This Substance?
Dr. Hashem Arafa, head of Food Safety at Gaza’s Ministry of Health, explains:
“There are many kinds of artificial sweeteners, all similar in appearance. Identifying them requires labeling and laboratory testing, both absent in Gaza today. These products are sold under popular trade names such as ‘Almond Sugar,’ without any packaging details, production dates, or expiration labels. Proper identification is crucial to determine safe dosage and usage.”
Linked to Cancer and Miscarriage
Artificial sweeteners are hundreds of times sweeter than sugar but contain no calories or carbohydrates. They provide no nutritional value, and their only controlled use is in specific food industries, under strict regulations.
Dr. Hashem warns: excessive or unregulated use of these substances can lead to serious diseases, including cancers. Foreign studies have shown artificial sweeteners can stimulate and spread cancer cells, cause liver fibrosis, and destroy the natural gut flora, leading to metabolic disorders.
Aspartame, in particular, can cross the placenta in pregnant women, reaching the fetus and significantly increasing the risk of miscarriage due to fetal poisoning.
Chemically Manufactured
“These sweeteners are entirely chemical,” says Dr. Saleh Al-Tweel, head of the Department of Drugs and Toxins.
He explains that they are normally used in limited, regulated contexts: in diet sodas, under precise measurements, or in pharmaceuticals to mask unpleasant tastes. But their random sale in Gaza’s markets and casual use by citizens carries severe risks to public health.
The Safe Limit (ADI)
Dr. Saleh stresses the importance of the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) — the maximum safe daily amount per person. Different sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose, cyclamate, saccharin, and others, each have their own ADI.
For example, according to the FDA, the ADI for saccharin is 5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. This means dosage must be calculated based on body weight — yet in Gaza, there is total chaos.
Vendors sell these substances without expertise, and some consumers even taste them directly to test sweetness — ingesting hundreds of milligrams at once, far above safe limits.
The Dangers of Heating and Storage
Dr. Saleh highlights an even greater danger: many Gazans dissolve these sweeteners in boiling water for tea. Heat breaks down their chemical structure, producing toxic compounds. Aspartame is especially hazardous in this regard, and its presence can only be confirmed through laboratory testing.
Equally concerning is the way these products are displayed — on open stalls, under direct sunlight, exposed to humidity, and without proper storage. Such conditions multiply their risks.
“These products should only be available in pharmacies, under medical supervision,” he insists. “Any use in food industries must first be licensed and tested by the Ministry of Health.”
The Lab Was Bombed
Engineer Loay Al-Amsi, head of the Food Control Unit in Gaza’s central governorate, recalls the pre-war situation:
“Before the war, every substance entering Gaza — especially chemicals for food industries — had to be lab-tested, its concentration levels measured, and its use monitored by licensed factories.”
But after Israel bombed and destroyed the Ministry of Health’s food safety laboratory in Shuja’iyya, known as the Subha Lab, no testing is possible. This has left regulators powerless, without equipment, and without protection for their inspection teams.
As a result, unsafe substances like artificial sweeteners continue to circulate freely.
The Danger Remain
Artificial sweeteners are still being sold in Gaza’s markets, keeping the threat alive. It is yet another door to death forced open upon the people of Gaza — alongside bombing, hunger, disease, and lawlessness.
The alarm bell continues to ring. The question is: who will listen, and who will act?
