Cyclamate

Cyclamate is an artificial sweetener discovered by accident in 1937. It was first used by Abbot to mask the bitterness of some drugs. It was designated as ‘generally recognized as safe’ in U.S. in 1958. Cyclamate is approximately 30-50 times sweeter than sucrose; some individual may feel an unpleasant after taste after its consumption. For this reason to have a synergistic effect in a product and mask the after taste it is often combined with other artificial sweeteners. For example cyclamate when combined with saccharin in 10:1 proportion gives a sugar like taste and masks the off taste of both the sweeteners. Cyclamate can be a sodium salt or calcium salt of cyclamic acid, both the forms of cyclamate are soluble and heat stable.

Cyclamate is used as an artificial sweetener in various foods, as a beverage sweetener, in diet beverages, table sweeteners and other low calorie foods. Cyclamate also makes a good flavoring agent for many toiletries and pharmaceutical preparations. Cyclamate like other artificial sweeteners can be used by people who are on weight loss diet or low-carbohydrate diet. It is also safe for people with diabetes or hyperglycemia as it does not affect the blood glucose or insulin levels. Also it has no effects on serum triglycerides and cholesterol. Cyclamate is tooth friendly and is not associated with dental plaque and dental carries.

Cyclamate is associated with many health related controversies. One study published in 1966 claimed that cyclamate can produce clyclohexylamine by some intestinal bacteria and this compound is suspected to have some toxic effects in animals and even testicular atrophy in mice. Another study published in 1969 claimed that cyclamate when combined with saccharin in the proportion of 10:1 may increase the incidence of bladder cancer in rats. Due to these controversies and bladder cancer cause of cyclamate, its sale was banned in United States and United Kingdom by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Abbot however tried to lift the ban on cyclamate but eventually the petition was denied by FDA in 1980. Many studies have proved that cyclamate does not have carcinogenic effects and is non-mutagenic. But FDA have denied repeated petition and its request to get approved is still pending.

Cyclamate has been studied and approved its used as an artificial sweetener in more than 55 countries under the brand name Assugrin, Sweet’N Low, Sucaryl, and Sugar Twin. However cyclamate is still been restricted in some countries despite the researches proving its safety. A favorable decision by the FDA on the recent petition can meet the consumer demand by supplying more variety of artificial sweeteners.

Submitted on January 16, 2014