Milly Gaines
Cyclamate is an artificial sweetener that is 30–50 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). It is often used in drinks, diet foods, and tabletop sweeteners. In the 1950s, diet drinks were introduced using a cyclamate/saccharin blend. By 1969, annual sales of cyclamate had reached $1 billion. However, safety concerns emerged around this time, and it was banned in the US in 1970. Despite the ban in the US, cyclamate is still approved for use in foods and beverages in more than 100 countries worldwide, including Canada, Australia, and Mexico.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | Artificial sweetener |
| Sweetness | 30-50 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar) |
| Combination with other sweeteners | Often used with saccharin, which masks the off-tastes of both sweeteners |
| Cost | Less expensive than most sweeteners, including sucralose |
| Heat stability | Stable under heating |
| Safety concerns | Banned in the USA and some other countries due to controversial toxicity studies suggesting a potential cancer risk |
| Current usage | Approved for use in foods and beverages in more than 100 countries, including Canada, Australia, and Mexico |
| Common applications | Soft drinks, shakes, sports drinks, tabletop sweeteners, breakfast cereals, dairy products, cakes, and baked goods |
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What You'll Learn
Cyclamate was used as a sweetener in diet drinks
Cyclamate is an artificial sweetener that is 30–50 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). It is often used in conjunction with other artificial sweeteners, particularly saccharin, to mask the off-tastes of both sweeteners. In the 1950s, diet drinks were introduced using a cyclamate/saccharin blend, and the market grew rapidly, soon accounting for about 30% of soft drink sales.
In 1958, cyclamates were classified as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe). However, in 1969, lab tests showed that cyclamates posed a cancer risk, and authorities in the United States acted quickly to ban the substance. In October 1969, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Secretary Robert Finch removed the GRAS designation from cyclamate and banned its use in general-purpose foods. This decision was influenced by a chronic toxicity study that implicated cyclamate as a bladder carcinogen in rats. The ban on cyclamate in the United States led to a rapid response from the diet-food industry, which began searching for alternative sweeteners and redirecting their marketing efforts.
Despite the ban in the United States, cyclamate continued to be used as a sweetener in many other countries. It is currently approved for use in foods and beverages in more than 100 countries, including Canada, Australia, and Mexico. Cyclamate is often combined with other low- and no-calorie sweeteners to reduce the calorie content of popular foods and beverages, making it a popular choice for those on a low-calorie diet or managing diabetes.
While some studies have linked cyclamate to an increased risk of bladder cancer and other health issues, the consistent conclusion from multiple studies is that there is no evidence of carcinogenicity. In 2000, the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences removed saccharin from a list of known cancer-causing substances. Additionally, a long-term feeding study of sodium saccharin showed no evidence of a carcinogenic effect on the urinary tract in non-human primates.
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It is banned in the US due to safety concerns
Cyclamate is an artificial sweetener that is 30–50 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). It is often used with other artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin, to mask off-tastes. Cyclamate was initially marketed as tablets recommended for use as a tabletop sweetener for diabetics and others who had to restrict their sugar intake. In 1958, it was classified as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) in the U.S. and was widely used in diet drinks.
However, safety concerns emerged in the late 1960s, leading to its eventual ban in the United States. In 1969, a chronic toxicity study found a link between cyclamate and bladder cancer in rats. As a result, cyclamate was removed from GRAS status, and in 1970, the FDA banned it from use in food, beverages, and drugs. The study's results were controversial and criticized by some scientists, including the study director. The ban had a significant impact on the diet food and drink industry, which rushed to find substitutes and adjust marketing strategies.
Despite the ban in the US, many other countries have concluded that cyclamate is safe for human consumption. Health and safety organizations, including the World Health Organization's Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), have studied cyclamate and deemed it safe. It is approved for use in more than 100 countries, including Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia, and others. Dozens of subsequent studies have also determined that cyclamate is safe, and the Cancer Assessment Committee of the U.S. FDA itself concluded in 1984 that cyclamate is not carcinogenic.
Despite these findings, cyclamate remains banned from food products in the United States. Abbott Labs and the Calorie Control Council filed petitions in 1973 and 1982, respectively, but the ban has not been lifted. In 2000, a 24-year-long experiment found malignant cancer in monkeys fed high doses of cyclamate, although the study's relevance to human consumption is unclear.
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$15.98
It is still approved for use in over 100 countries
Cyclamate is an artificial sweetener that is 30–50 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). It is often used with other artificial sweeteners, especially saccharin. In 1958, it was designated GRAS (generally recognised as safe) by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Cyclamate was initially marketed in tablet form for use by diabetics as an alternative tabletop sweetener, as well as in a liquid form.
However, in 1969, a study showed that cyclamate is a potential carcinogen, causing cancer in rats. This led to the removal of the GRAS designation from cyclamate and its eventual ban in 1970 in the United States from use in food, beverages, and drugs.
Despite the ban in the United States, cyclamate is still approved for use in more than 100 countries, including Canada, Mexico, Australia, and the Philippines. This approval is based on numerous studies conducted since 1969 that have convinced other countries of its safety. For example, the Cancer Assessment Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded in 1984 that cyclamate is not carcinogenic, and this finding was confirmed in 1985 by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
Health and safety organisations, including the World Health Organization's Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), have examined and studied cyclamate over the past 50 years and found it to be safe for use as a general-purpose sweetener and in prepared food and beverages.
Today, cyclamate is used alone, with aspartame, or in blends with other low-calorie sweeteners, and it remains a popular alternative to sugar in many parts of the world.
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It was initially marketed as tablets for diabetics
Cyclamate is an artificial sweetener that is 30–50 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). It is often used with other artificial sweeteners, especially saccharin, to mask the off-tastes of both sweeteners. Cyclamate was initially marketed as tablets recommended for use as a tabletop sweetener for diabetics. In 1958, it was classified as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe), and a mixture of cyclamate and saccharin was subsequently marketed for use in special dietary foods.
In the 1950s, diet drinks were introduced using a cyclamate/saccharin blend. The market grew rapidly and soon accounted for about 30% of soft drink sales. However, in 1969, a chronic toxicity study found that a mixture of cyclamate and saccharin was implicated as a bladder carcinogen in rats. As a result, cyclamate was removed from GRAS status and eventually banned in the United States from use in foods, beverages, and drugs in 1970.
Despite the ban in the United States, many other countries did not act on the incomplete data, and cyclamate continued to be used as a sweetener in those countries. It is currently approved for use in foods and beverages in more than 100 countries worldwide, including Canada, Australia, and Mexico. Cyclamate is often combined with other low- and no-calorie sweeteners to reduce the calorie content of popular foods and beverages, which is important for individuals on a low-calorie diet or managing diabetes.
While the initial studies raised concerns about the safety of cyclamate, subsequent studies have failed to consistently reproduce the carcinogenic effects. In 2000, the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences removed saccharin from a list of known cancer-causing substances. Additionally, a long-term feeding study of sodium saccharin showed no evidence of a carcinogenic effect on the urinary tract in non-human primates.
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It is 30-50 times sweeter than table sugar
Cyclamate is an artificial sweetener that is 30–50 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). This makes it the least potent of commercially used artificial sweeteners. It is often used in combination with other artificial sweeteners, especially saccharin, to mask the off-tastes of both sweeteners. The mixture of 10 parts cyclamate to 1 part saccharin is common. Cyclamate is less expensive than most sweeteners, including sucralose, and is stable under heating.
The discovery of cyclamate's sweetness is attributed to Michael Sveda, a graduate student at the University of Illinois, in 1937. He found its sweet taste when he put down his cigarette on the lab bench and then put it back in his mouth. The patent for cyclamate was first purchased by DuPont and later sold to Abbott Laboratories, which undertook studies and submitted a New Drug Application in 1950. Cyclamate was initially marketed as tablets for use by diabetics as an alternative tabletop sweetener and in a liquid form.
In 1958, cyclamates were designated GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the United States Food and Drug Administration. This led to their widespread use in diet drinks, which soon accounted for about 30% of soft drink sales. However, safety concerns arose in the late 1960s when studies linked cyclamates to bladder cancer in rats. As a result, cyclamate was banned in the United States from use in foods, beverages, and drugs in 1970.
Despite the ban in the United States, cyclamate is still approved for use in more than 100 countries, including Europe, Canada, and Australia. The European Union considers it safe, and it has been re-evaluated and approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Cyclamate is a helpful alternative for people trying to reduce their sugar or calorie intake as part of a low-calorie diet. It is also useful for individuals managing diabetes, as it allows them to satisfy their taste for sweets without affecting their blood sugar levels.
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Frequently asked questions
Many diet drinks used cyclamates as a sweetener before it was banned in the USA in 1970. These included Tab diet soda, Fresca, and Diet Pepsi.
Cyclamate was banned due to safety concerns. Lab tests showed that it posed a cancer risk, particularly bladder cancer.
Yes, cyclamate is still approved for use in foods and beverages in more than 100 countries, including Canada, Australia, Mexico, and countries in the EU.
