Saccharin

Saccharin is a derivative of coal tar. It is a white, crystalline, aromatic compound that is 300 times as sweet as sugar. It was discovered accidentally by I. Remsen and C. Fahlberg in 1879. It is not soluble in water, but its sodium salt, which is the product sold commercially, dissolves readily. Saccharin has no nutritional value and passes through the body unchanged. Despite the fact that saccharin causes cancer in laboratory rats and was banned from the market for a time, the ban was rescinded due to public demand. In 1984, the World Health Organization suggested an intake limit of 2.5 mg/day per kg bodyweight.