History

• Johns Hopkins University scientists Ira Remsen and Constantin Fahlberg accidentally discovered saccharin while studying the coal-tar derivative toluene in 1879. Remsen noticed that a chemical he had spilled on his hand tasted sweet.
  
  

Significance

• Fahlberg patented saccharin in 1884, and by 1907, the calorie-free sugar substitute had found a use in diabetic foods. In the 1960s, soft-drink makers began making calorie-free beverages with saccharin. In addition to foods and beverages, some cosmetics, vitamins and medicines contain saccharin.
  
  

Function

• Because it has no calories, saccharin provides no energy to the human body. Saccharin does not raise blood-insulin levels, which can benefit diabetics.
  
  

Effects

• Saccharin is about 300 times sweeter than sugar and can taste metallic or bitter if consumed in large quantities. Manufacturers often combine saccharin with other sugar substitutes such as aspartame to achieve the correct sweetness for a particular product.
  
  

Considerations

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates saccharin and other artificial sweeteners. Studies in the 1970s linked saccharin to bladder cancer in lab animals, but later research shows "no clear evidence" that artificial sweeteners increase cancer risk in humans, the FDA says.