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Food additive · Sweetener

Saccharin

E-number
E954
CAS
81-07-2

One of the oldest high-intensity sweeteners, used in tabletop packets and some drinks.

  • Food additive
  • Non-nutritive sweetener
  • Ultra-processing marker
  • Expert review pending
Low concern Level 1 of 4 How concern levels work

A minor or very limited concern, such as being an ultra-processing marker only. The concern level sets how many points saccharin costs on a product’s receipt.

What the evidence says

  • Low concernStrong evidence

    EFSA (2024) concluded saccharin is safe and raised its acceptable daily intake to 9 mg/kg body weight; IARC places it in Group 3. [1][2]

  • Gut microbiome (emerging)Emerging evidence

    In a 2022 randomized study, saccharin impaired glucose responses in some people via the gut microbiome. [3]

  • Heart or metabolic health (emerging)Emerging evidence

    WHO (2023) recommends against using non-sugar sweeteners to control body weight (conditional recommendation); US dietary guidelines advise limiting them. [4][5]

Evidence tiers say how sure the evidence is, separately from how much it matters. About evidence tiers.

Rules around the world

WhereStatusDetailsDateSource
United States Permitted Permitted under an interim regulation (21 CFR 180.37). — [6]
European Union Permitted Permitted (E 954). — [1]
Canada Permitted On Health Canada's List of Permitted Sweeteners. — [7]

“Banned” means explicitly prohibited or withdrawn after review; “not permitted” means never authorized there. We use each regulator’s own words.

Popular products that list saccharin

1 of the 17,000 most-scanned products in the US with a GoodSwap page list saccharin.

Diets and allergens

Vegan
Yes
Vegetarian
Yes
Gluten-free
Yes

For the ingredient in general. Always check the package: a product’s own labels win.

Names GoodSwap recognizes on labels (11)
  • e954
  • saccharin
  • saccharine
  • sweet n low
  • saccharin sodium
  • sodium saccharin
  • calcium saccharin
  • sodium saccharine
  • sweetener saccharin
  • sweeteners saccharin
  • sweetener sodium saccharin

Sources

  1. Saccharin: safety threshold increased

    European Food Safety Authority · Nov 15, 2024 · Agency assessment

    “EFSA has concluded that saccharin is safe for human consumption and increased the acceptable daily intake”

    efsa.europa.eu

  2. Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–142 (List of Classifications)

    International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) · IARC

    monographs.iarc.who.int

  3. Personalized microbiome-driven effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on human glucose tolerance

    Cell · September 2022 · Peer-reviewed

    “As groups, each administered NNS distinctly altered stool and oral microbiome and plasma metabolome, whereas saccharin and sucralose significantly impaired glycemic responses.”

    doi.org

  4. WHO advises not to use non-sugar sweeteners for weight control in newly released guideline

    World Health Organization · May 15, 2023 · Agency assessment

    “The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of the available evidence which suggests that use of NSS does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children.”

    who.int

  5. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture · January 2026 · Regulator

    “Limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, petroleum-based dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.”

    cdn.realfood.gov

  6. 21 CFR 180.37 Saccharin, ammonium saccharin, calcium saccharin, and sodium saccharin

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Nov 22, 2016 · Law

    ecfr.gov

  7. 9. List of Permitted Sweeteners (Lists of Permitted Food Additives)

    Health Canada · Feb 25, 2025 · Regulator

    “A.3 Aspartame n/a (a) Breakfast cereals (a) Sweetener (a) 5,000 ppm n/a”

    canada.ca