Saccharin
Other names: Sodium saccharin, Saccharine, E954
Harm score: 3 (Harmless chemicals)
Saccharin is an artificial sweetener that is up to 300-500 times sweeter than sugar. It was discovered by the chemist Constantin Fahlberg in 1878 by accident when he was working on derivatives of hydrocarbon. Saccharin is a colorless solid, soluble in water, has a sweet taste with a bitter coating, and is heat stable. Saccharin is used in food as a sweetener and is coded E954. Its other names are Sodium saccharin or Saccharine.
Saccharin has a wide range of applications in a variety of industries, but is most commonly used in the food industry primarily in diet and diabetic products - it is found in diet drinks, chewing gum, jams, desserts, instant coffee, tea, diabetic chocolates and candies. In addition to the food industry, saccharin is also used in cosmetics, particularly as a component of toothpastes and mouthwashes, where it serves not only as a sweetener but also as an inhibiting agent for the bacteria responsible for tooth decay. Saccharin is also a component of some medicines intended for children's use, where it sweetens the bitter taste of medicines.
Saccharin can be found in the following products
