E954 — Saccharin
E954 (Saccharin), a sweetener, is rated "safe": no significant concern. The oldest synthetic sweetener. Once flagged for bladder cancer in rats, but later cleared for humans. Some studies suggest microbiome effects in a subset of consumers.
What is Saccharin?
The oldest synthetic sweetener, dating to 1879. About 300 to 400 times sweeter than sugar. Used in tabletop sweeteners ("Sweet'N Low"), diet drinks, baked goods, and some pharmaceuticals.
What does it do to the body?
Your body absorbs it and excretes it within a day. Old rat studies linked very high doses to bladder cancer through a mechanism specific to rats that doesn't apply to humans, and Saccharin was removed from the US National Toxicology Program's carcinogen list in 2000. A small 2014 study (Suez et al.) suggested gut bacteria changes in a subset of users, with effects on blood sugar in about half the participants.
What regulators say
EFSA reaffirmed the acceptable daily intake at 5 mg per kg of body weight per day in 2024. The FDA approves it as GRAS.
Risk rating: Safe
Cleared by EFSA with no significant concern at typical dietary exposure. Common, well-studied, and not a reason to put a product back on the shelf.
Source: EFSA — re-evaluation of saccharin (2024) ↗