Saccharin: Discovery, Ban, Reevaluation

Saccharin, the earliest and most longstanding artificial sweetener, has been employed for over a century to impart sweetness to foods and beverages without introducing additional calories. Approximately 200-700 times sweeter than sucrose, saccharin was first identified by Fahlberg and Remsen in 1878 at the University of John Hopkins in Baltimore. This chance discovery took place while the scientists were exploring the oxidation mechanisms of toluene sulfonamide, a component found in coal-tar derivatives.

The sugary taste of saccharin became apparent when a droplet of the substance touched Fahlberg's finger during their research. The researchers linked this sweetness to the compound now recognized as saccharin. The original paper detailing the revelation of saccharin was published in 1879, a year subsequent to their experiments.

In periods of global conflicts such as World Wars I and II, saccharin gained widespread popularity due to shortages of sugar. Nevertheless, in 1981, saccharin encountered a prohibition following studies that suggested a connection to bladder cancer in rats subjected to excessive doses.

By the year 2000, the National Toxicology Program reevaluated saccharin and determined that it should no longer be designated as a potential cancer-causing agent. Mechanistic studies indicated that the cancer-related findings were specific to rats. Consequently, saccharin continues to be recognized as an FDA-approved sweetener.
Saccharin: Discovery, Ban, Reevaluation

Sodium saccharin

Saccharin, a non-caloric sweetener is approximately 300-500 times sweeter than sugar and is heat stable, allowing it to be used in cooking and baking, as well as sweetener for foods and beverages.

Soluble in amyl acetate, ethyl acetate, benzene and alcohol; it is slightly soluble in water, chloroform, and ether. Saccharin is derived from a mixture of toluenesulfonic acids.

It is commercially available in four forms: acid saccharin, sodium saccharin, potassium saccharin and calcium saccharin.

Physically sodium saccharin is a white crystalline powder (dihyrate form) or monoclinic white crystals (saccharin insoluble form) with no odor and an intensely sweet taste.

Sodium saccharin is the most commonly used form because of its high solubility, stability and low production costs.
Sodium saccharin

Sweeteners

Sweeteners
Lactose
Lactose the sugar component of mammalian milks is less sweet and less water-soluble than sucrose.

While babies and young children generally are able to metabolize this sugar some are unable to do so.

The ability to metabolize the sugar appears to decrease with age. When a person is unable to metabolize lactose, the ingestion of milk may cause intestinal discomfort, cramps and diarrhea.

The major source of lactose is whey, a cheese by-product.

Because lactose is not sweet as sucrose, larger amounts can be used in those foods in which the texture benefits from a high solids content.

Maltose
Maltose or malt sugar is produced during the malting process in brewing (enzyme conversion of starch).

It is converted to alcohol by the action of yeast through an intermediate conversion to dextrose.

This sugar is much less sweet than sucrose, and it is used mainly in the manufactured to baked and infants foods.

Saccharin
Saccharin, the imide of o-benzosulfonic acid, is used as a sodium or calcium salt. It is about 300 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar).

It may leave a bitter after taste and its safety has been questioned as a result of some animal feeding tests.

As an intense sweetener it is useful for diabetes and it reduces the incidence of dental caries.

Cyclamate
In many cases it was used together with saccharin. Cyclamate is not as sweet as saccharin by weight, but it is about 30 times sweeter than sucrose. Like saccharin, it has been used as sodium or calcium salt.
Sweeteners