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The Bittersweet Controversy of Saccharine: What is really artificial?

When you go to sweeten your coffee, do you think twice before choosing between sugar and Sweet 'N Low? If you are wondering who eats saccharine after all of the negative reports in the media it may surprise you to find out that you are eating saccharine. Even if you have never touched a packet of Sweet 'N Low you have consumed saccharine.

In 1995, the United States consumption of saccharine was 10 million pounds (Fitzgerald, 1996). The average person eats enough saccharine to equal "seven pounds of sugar per person per year (Corcaran, 1998). Diet soft drinks, Robitussin cough syrup, jams, jellies, baked goods, and Crest toothpaste all contain saccharine.

Given all the controversial and conflicting reports in the media - "Saccharine causes cancer" or "The latest report shows that Saccharine is not linked with cancer." One may wonder if consumers should use it.

For over a century, saccharine has been the subject of an ongoing controversy among researchers, the artificial sweetener industry, diabetics and dieters. All of this from an accident in a lab over 100 years ago.

On February 27, 1879 chemist Constantine Fahlberg discovered saccharine after spilling a chemical compound. "The sloppy chemist, who did not wash his hands, picked up a piece of bread and discovered that the bread tasted sweet" (Globe, 1999). "Then he realized he created an artificial sweetener that is 200 to 500 times more sweet than cane sugar (Henderson, 1997).

There are two reasons that saccharine is seen as a "wonder" product. First "a dollars worth of saccharine will do the same as $20 worth of sugar" (Corcaran, 1998). Secondly it can be consumed without affecting the blood sugar levels of diabetics who want to continue to live life as normally as possible.

"Saccharine is also stable at warm temperatures unlike aspartame" (Diabetes Association, 1987). This artificial sweetener is the saving grace for diet food companies because it is cheap and helps in calorie control.

The warning label that were enforced by the United States Food and Drug Administration were fueled by the 1951 research that suggested saccharine might be a carcinogen and also by research done in 1977 by the Canadian government. The Canadian research was conducted on lab rats that consumed 20% of their own body weight worth of saccharine everyday. "Their study concluded that saccharine is linked with cancer because it caused bladder tumors in rats" (Corcaran, 1998).

The action by the Federal Government caused an uproar by its dependents, dieters, and diabetics. Even in 1907, president and diabetic, Teddy Roosevelt opposed a ban attempt on saccharine. Roosevelt said, "My doctor gives it to me everyday. Anyone who says that saccharine is injurious to health is an idiot" (Corcaran, 1998).

In 1979 the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation stated that, "Artificial sweetened beverages and desserts have offered an acceptable alternative to the life of restictions forced on a diabetic childÉ Parents of diabetics are concerned that in a world without an artificial sweetener for medicines, cooking, and baking that all important birthday cake and holiday treats, for sodas, and snacks, our children will now have an even more difficult medical, social and emotional adjustment."

The controversy was challenged in 1978 when the Calorie control Council, National Cancer Institute, and Emmanuel Farber (a professor of pathology at Jefferson Medical College and Chairman of the National Academy of Sciences) questioned the test's validity. The Calorie Control Council stated that the animal evidence "was based on large amounts of saccharine that cannot translate to humans because not only do rats not have the same urinary physiology, but humans would have to consume saccharine in amounts as great as 20% of their weight. That is equivalent to 800 diet sodas a day" (Henkel, 1999).

The Calorie Control Council's argument was supported by the National Cancer Institute's study of 20 monkeys over 24 years. The monkeys were chosen because their physiology resembles human physiology. Three different species of monkeys were fed amounts of saccharine that would equal ten diet sodas a day for twenty four years. The experiment's results concluded that none of the monkeys developed bladder cancer, however three got other types of cancers.

The validity of these studies can be questioned because, there were three different species of monkeys used in the experiment. Also in the human studies, saccharine was often times used together with another artificial sweetener cyclamate that may increase the potency of cancer causing chemicals. The validity of the amounts of saccharine that should be consumed are also questionable.

In a study done by the government of the United Kingdom in August, 1990 states that "2.5 % of diabetics consumed more than 455mg of saccharine a day. A sample of 20 out of 681 people consumed more than 150mg a day, averaged over a week which meets the acceptable daily intake in the United Kingdom, but is double the amount recommended by the World Health Organization" (Rose, 1990).

"In a society that consumes 2,500 tons of saccharine a year from soft drinks, the suggestion that the continuing use of this artificial sweetener is a violation of the Delaney Clause which bans carcinogens in foods and drinks is not being accepted" (Anderson, 1997).

The media only reports the latest studies which are often times conflicting. Consequently it is really up to the consumer to make a decision based on the research that is conducted by the government, councils, and agencies. One must continue to ask themselves whether or not the test conducted was a valid one.

Fitzgerald, Patrick. (1996) "How Sweet it is: expected FDA approval of acesulfame-K for non-alchoholic beverages is generating interest for blends." Chemical Marketing Reporter. Volume 249 pSR23 (3)

Henderson, Charles. (1997) "U.S. to consider removing saccharine form possible carcinogens list" Cancer Weekly Plus. P28 (2)

Henkel, John (1999) "Sugar Substitutes." FDA Consumer Volume 33 p12(5)

Hoch, Jeffrey G., (1997) "Sweet Anticipation" Food Processing. Volume 58 p.45 (2)

Rose, Julian. (1990) "UK issues controversial guidelines." Chemistry & Industry. Number 17. p528 (1)

Stolberg, Sheryl.(1997) "Bid to absolve saccharine is rebuffed by U.S. panel." The New York Times. Volume 147 p A13

Takayama, S. (1998) "Long-term feeding of sodium saccharine to nonhuman primates:implications for urinary tract cancer" Journal of the National Cancer Institiute. Volume 90. p19 (7)

Author unknown. "Saccharine does not promote urinary tract cancer, scientists say" Nando.net (www.nandotimes.com/newsroom/ntn/health/011298/health11_28937_no frames.html)

Author unknown. "Saccharine Celebrates 120th Anniversary" The Globe Daily. (www.cafecrowd.com/globedaily/content/0222299_05.html)

Author unknown. "Expert panel suggests keeping warning on saccharine" Health Story Page. CNN Interactive (1997) (www.cnn.com/health/9710/31/saccharine.cancer)

Saccharine Time Line

1879 Saccharine was discovered by Constantine Fahlberg at Johns Hopkins University.

1907 Chief of USDA's Bureau of Chemistry wanted saccharine banned from canned foods.

1969 Studies conclude saccharine causes urinary tract cancer in lab rats.

1977 US Food and Drug Administration proposes a ban on saccharine based on experimental data.

1981 Saccharine "anticipated" carcinogen warning label list.

2001 FDA will make final decision to remove saccharine off the carcinogen list.