Saccharin (SAK-uh-rin) is a synthetic compound whose
water solutions are at least 500 times as sweet as table sugar.
It passes through the human digestive system without being
absorbed, so it has an effective caloric value of zero. It is
used as a sugar substitute by diabetics or by anyone wishing
to reduce their caloric intake.
Saccharin was the first artificial sweetener discovered. It
was synthesized accidentally in 1879 when Johns Hopkins
researchers Constantine Fahlberg (1850–1910) and Ira Remsen
(1846–1927) were working on the development of new food
preservatives. The story is told that Fahlberg accidentally
spilled one of the substances being studied on his hand. Some
time later, he noticed the sweet taste of the substance and
began to consider marketing the product as an artificial sweetener.
Fahlberg and Remsen jointly published a paper describing
their work, but Fahlberg, without Remsen’s knowledge,
went on to request a patent for the discovery. He eventually
became very wealthy from proceeds of the discovery, none of
which he shared with Remsen. Remsen was later quoted as
saying that ‘‘Fahlberg is a scoundrel. It nauseates me to hear
my name mentioned in the same breath with him.’’
which he shared with Remsen. Remsen was later quoted as
saying that ‘‘Fahlberg is a scoundrel. It nauseates me to hear
my name mentioned in the same breath with him.’’
of an artificial sweetener. By 1902, it had become so popular
in Germany that the German sugar industry lobbied for laws
limiting production of saccharin. Similar actions occurred in
the United States in 1907 and, by 1911, the federal government
restricted use of the compound to overweight invalids.
A shortage of sugar during World War I (1914–1918) led
to the reintroduction of saccharin as a sweetening agent in
foods. Another sugar shortage during World War II (1939–
1945) saw a new boom in saccharin production. This time, the
compound’s popularity continued after the war ended.
Questions about saccharin’s safety have been raised a
number of times in the past. In 1969, for example, the sweetener
cyclamate was found to be carcinogenic, and its use was
banned in the United States. Doubts over saccharin’s safety
resurfaced, partly since it was often mixed with cyclamate in
artificial sweeteners. In 1972, studies with rats suggested
that saccharin too might be carcinogenic, and the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration imposed restrictions on the sweetener’s
use. Later studies attempting to reproduce the 1972
research were largely unsuccessful, and the status of saccharin
as a carcinogen remain unsettled.
In 1977, the Canadian government decided that sufficient
evidence existed to ban the use of saccharin except for use
with diabetics and others with special medical problems. The
U.S. government considered taking similar action, but, after
more than a decade of reviewing the evidence, decided to
allow the use of saccharin among the general public. Nonetheless,
the status of saccharin as a potential health hazard
remains the subject of an active debate in the United States
and other parts of the world.
A number of methods are available for the synthesis of
saccharin. For many years, the most popular process was one
developed by the Maumee Chemical Company of Toledo,
Ohio, in 1950. This method begins with anthranilic acid
(o-aminobenzoic acid; C6H4(NH2)COOH), which is treated successively
with nitrous acid (HNO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2),
chlorine (Cl2), and ammonia (NH3) to obtain saccharin.
Another process discovered in 1968 starts with o-toluene,
which is then treated with sulfur dioxide and ammonia to
obtain saccharin.
Saccharin is not very soluble, so it is commonly made
into its sodium or calcium salt (sodium saccharin or calcium
saccharin), both of which readily dissolve in water, for use in
drinks and cooking. Saccharin is often blended with other
sweeteners to reduce its metallic aftertaste.
Saccharin is used almost exclusively as an artificial
sweetener in food and drinks to replace sugar. Its lack of
calories makes it suitable for diet products and for medical
preparations designed for people who must reduce their caloric
intake. It also finds some small application as a food
preservative, as an antiseptic agent, and as a brightening
agent in electroplating procedures.
Raw saccharin can be an irritant to the skin, eyes, and
respiratory system. If ignited, it burns with the release of
irritating fumes. Only individuals who come into contact
with large quantities of saccharin are likely to be concerned
about such safety problems, however.
