FIGURE 1- SACCHARIN

Saccharin

By: Ali Hunt

I. Introduction:

Saccharin was founded by accident in 1879 by Constantin Fahlberg, a researcher working with coal tar. Now, saccharin is used as an artificial sweetener in the Sweet & Low brand. Sac

charin is considered a sulfimide. The hydrogen atom on the nitrogen atom forms salt (which can bond with other atoms to from a sugar-like taste).

II. Discovery:

Saccharin was founded by accident. In 1879 Constantin Fahlberg went home to eat dinner after not washing his hands at a day at work (working with coal tar). He proceeded to go home and eat some rolls,which he realized tasted really sweet because of the chemicals on his hands. He asked his wife if her rolls were especially sweet, and she said no. He then realized that the chemicals from the coal tar (sulfimide) could be used to acquire a swee

t taste. Saccharin is important to diabetics because it can go through the digestive system without being digested. Uses of saccharin became especially popular during food shortages in the World Wars.

III. Biography of Discoverer:

Constantin Fahlberg was born on December 22nd, 1850, in Tambov, Russia. He worked at the John Hopkins University as a research analyst for coal tar. He worked for professor Ira Remsen. There is controversy of the discovery. After the discovery of saccharin, Fahlberg earned a lot of money. Remsen grew angry at Fahlberg, wanting credit for the discovery of the chemical compound. The work on discovering saccharin was published together, but it has been quoted that Remsen has called Fahlberg “despicable” and “hearing his name is sickness-inducing”. Both accounts of the discovery were different, and Remsen later become the president of John Hopkins University.

IV. Saccharin & The World:

Saccharin fuels the growing controversy about today’s media. Everyone constantly wants to be thinner in a society where fast food and processed food is everywhere. It has been said the saccharin made rats more susceptible to brain cancer, but there is no concrete proof that is causes cancer in humans. Saccharin can trigger allergic reactions, but this claim isn’t supported by evidence. Saccharin is said to have a metallic aftertaste if used in large quantities with a high concentration. On the positive side, Saccharin allows one to consume tea, coke, cake, cookies, etc, without the caloric effe

cts of a normal sugar. In America, where the obesity rate is ridiculous, Saccharin allows one to lead a healthier life. Saccharin has a long shelf life. Finally, Saccharin is useful to diabetics because the compound is not broken down in the digestive system and doesn’t have the same effect on a diabetic system that regular sugar does.

V. Journal Article:

A Moment-by-Moment Comparsion of Sucrose and Saccharin Drinking by the Rat

James C. Smith, Laura Wilson, Robin Krimm and Dana Merryday

This journal article showed the results of rats drinking water, sucrose, and saccharin. The results showed that when giving all three, the rats drank more sucrose than saccharin or water. The regular sugar was more addictive than the artificial sugar. However, when feeing afterwords, rats that drank saccharin ate more than rats that were given water or sucrose. So, the saccharin made the rats hungrier.

VI. References

Smith, J, Wilson, L, Krimm, R, & Merryday, D. (1986, July 1). A moment-by-moment comparsion of

FIGURE 2-Sweet &Low Packet

sucrose and saccharin drinking by the rat. Retrieved from http://chemse.oxfordjournals.org/content/12/1/99.short (journal article)

Tulika, N. (n.d.). Saccharin side effects. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/saccharin-side-effects.html

Walters, D. (n.d.). Sweetener saccharin. Retrieved from http://www.rosalindfranklin.edu/DNN/home/CMS/biochem/Faculty/Walters/Sweeteners/

http://www.tradekorea.com/ (figure 1)

http://www.toptenz.net (figure 2)