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Saccharin as a Carcinogen |
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"Anybody who says saccharin is injurious to health is an idiot" -President Theodore Roosevelt's reaction at the turn on the century to the proposed ban on saccharin as a sweetener. The health risks of saccharin as an artificial sweetener were first doubted in 1912, 12 years after its release onto the open market. Saccharin was banned but the ban was later lifted during the sugar shortages of World War I. It was finally scientifically tested in the 1970's. In 1977 a Canadian scientist found that saccharin, fed in high doses, caused bladder cancer in 50% of laboratory animals. These tests were done in reaction to the findings that the most popular artificial sweetener at the time, cyclamate, was carcinogenic in laboratory mice. The American FDA banned cyclamate in 1969 but in 1982 the FDA Cancer Assessment Committee reviewed the evidence against cyclamate and found it not to be carcinogenic. These findings and backup research are still being examined for a possible de-regulation of cyclamate in the U.S. The popularity and supposed need for saccharin rose significantly after the ban of cyclamate in 1969. In 1977 the Canadian government took immediate steps to outlaw the use of saccharin in food products. After the Canadian findings, the FDA proposed banning the popular sweetener in the U.S. and began its own research to conclude the safety of saccharin. Given that saccharin was the only available sugar substitute in the U.S. at the time there was a public outcry against the prohibition. Congress stepped in under heavy pressure and implored a little known tactic to allow suspected or known carcinogens to continue to be sold on the open market without the approval of the FDA. Congress did however, require that all products containing saccharin carry a label stating that the additive had been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. The FDA disapproval of the additive remained for 14 years. After the controversy settled, long-term studies were done and saccharin was found to have no connection to cancer in humans. One group that the studies paid close attention to were diabetics; because saccharin does not metabolize diabetics can ingest the sweetener without worrying about their blood-sugar level increasing. Therefore, diabetics were found to have a disproportionately high intake level of saccharin. It was found that there was once again, no correlation between saccharin and cancer in humans, not even diabetics. The FDA's proposition to ban saccharin was withdrawn in 1991 with relatively no opposition. It was never directly labeled as a carcinogen, but only as a "likely carcinogen." In 1992 tests were performed on rats that determined that there were physiological traits present in rats but not in humans that allowed them to develop bladder cancer from saccharin. In December of 2000 congress voted to no longer require that health disclaimers be placed on products containing saccharin; President Clinton signed this into law as a part of a larger health care bill.
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Disclaimer used on "Sweet'N Low" and other products containing saccharin. |
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