E954 - Saccharines
Author: Leticia Celentano
Time for reading: ~1
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
CHAPTERS (Table Of Contents)
Characteristic: Saccharin is a white or colorless crystalline powder or crystals with a pronounced sweet taste (about 500 times sweeter than sugar). The substance has no odor, has a specific metallic bitter taste. For
Characteristic
Saccharin is a white or colorless crystalline powder or crystals with a pronounced sweet taste (about 500 times sweeter than sugar). The substance has no odor, has a specific metallic bitter taste. Saccharin is resistant to hydrolysis and heat, dissolves well in water, in various alcohols the degree of solubility is medium, in fatty solvents it is practically insoluble. When taken with food, the supplement is excreted in the urine, remaining unchanged. Animal experiments show that excessive use of the sweetener leads to the development of bladder tumors.
Use
In the food industry, saccharinused as a sugar substitute in products intended for diabetics or obesity. It is also used in the production of sweetened soft drinks and sweets. The additive is not used alone due to its specific bitter-metallic taste, but is part of the products in combination with other sweeteners. It contains soft and low-alcohol drinks, desserts, dry appetizers, ice cream, semi-finished soups, canned fruits, vegetables and fish, etc. It can be used in the preparation of sweet and sour sauces, confectionery and pasta, chocolate, sweet dairy and sour milk products, jam, marmalades, jams, chewing gum. All these products are defined as low-calorie, dietary or special purpose (for patients with diabetes or obesity).
E 954 is also used in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, in the production of animal feed and others.
Impact on humans
It is believed that the safe amount for the human body is a maximum of 5 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. Laboratory tests on rodents have shown that consuming large amounts of the dietary supplement E 954 is very likely to lead to bladder cancer.