Saccharin

Saccharin is considered an artificial sweetener. It is said to be an oldest sweeteners in use today. It is also a artificial sugar substitute which used to minimize food energy during dieting and mainly to reduce the dental plaque formation. It is mainly created in laboratory. Drug Administration (FDA) approves it in United States along with very few other artificial sweeteners.

Common name:

Its common is also Saccharin, and it is selling as trade name of Sweet’N Low or Sugar Twin. Very little of it is needed to sweet the food because it is 200-800 times sweeter than table sugar. The product wrapper of Sweet’N Low is shown below:

Fig: Wrapper of Sweet’N Low

Chemical Structure & Formula:

The chemical structure of Saccharin given below:

The formula of Saccharin is C7H5NO3S. Its chemical names are Benzoic Sulfimide and Ortho Sulphobenzamide. It is found to be an organic compound, which means its molecules contain carbon.

Data table of Saccharin:

Chemical Name 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one1,1-dioxide

CAS Number 81-07-2

Molecular Formula C7H5NO3S

Molar Mass 183.2 g/mol

Composition C(45.9%) H(2.7%) N(7.75) O(26.2%) S(17.5%)

Melting Point 2290C

Boiling Point Decomposes

Density 0.83 g/cm3

History:

It was discovered in 1879 by researchers at Johns Hopkins University by Constantin Fahlberg. He was a chemist in Ira Remen’s laboratory at this university. He get the taste of saccharin on his hand and he immediately connected it with the compound that he had been working on. There are several articles published by fahlberg and Remsen on benzoic sulfimide in early 1879 and 1880. It is in 1884, when Fahlberg registered a patent on methods of producing this substance which he named saccharin. Remsen get irate by

Fahlberg by his wealth and labeled him scoundrel who thinks he itself also deserve credit for producing this substance. After World War I the use of Saccharin become widespread because of the shortage of sugar during war days.

Uses:

Its main use has been as a sweetener in low calorie beverages, diet sodas and foods such as chewing gums, backed items, jams and jellies, candies, toothpaste, canned fruit, dessert and cake toppings, salad and appetizer dressings.

It is being used by diabetics as a replacement for sugar. It is blended with other sweeteners to decrease the weakness of other sweetener

and prolong the life of it. For example the blend form of Saccharin and aspartame used in diet soda.

It is also used as food additives in food industry. It is useful in vitamins, pharmaceuticals and cosmetic products.

Global capacity, future trends:

Below is the trend of world consumption of Saccharin by region:

World consumption of Saccharin by region

It is clear from above graph that it is used in large amount in all regions of world. However, the consumption of it is much greater in Asian countries holding 60% of the world market and continuously increasing year-by-year showing the serious increasing capacity and productions of this substance in Europe. The main reason of it is that its usage in household items such as soda drinks, beverages, toothpastes, backed foods.

The future of this artificial sweetener looks bright because of increasing demand in some of developed regions of world because of its low calorie properties in daily household items.

Industrial Production Methods:

There are two methods available for the synthesis of saccharin.

Maumee, or Sherwin-Williams process. Remsen-Fahlberg process.

Maumee, or Sherwin-Williams process:

The most popular and mostly used process was developed by Maumee Chemical Company of Toledo, in 1950.

In this process the industrial compound phthalic anhydride is coverted into anthranilic acid. Then this acid id synthesized with compounds like nitrous acid, sulfur dioxide, chlorine and ammonia. Which then produces saccharin. It is a continuous production process and developed in United States and it is used domestically during review period. Initially it is a hazardous process because of a continuous production of by-products like sulfur dioxide, chlorine, and ammonia. But soon after 2006, it is being modified and redesigned to minimize the production of these hazardous by-products. According to governmental estimates now this process is considered to be a more efficient and more cost-effectively.

The chemical reaction to produce saccharin is given below:

Remsen-Fahlberg process:

Firstly the reaction between toluene with chlorosulfonic acid takes place resulting in ortho and para forms of toluene-sulfonic acid. Then this acid is converted to sulfonyl chloride by reacting it with phosphorus pentachloride. The ortho form, o-toluene-sulfonyle chloride, is reacted with ammonia to produce o-toluene-sulfonamide, it is oxidized with potassium permanganate to give o-sulfamido-benzoic acid. On heating the product gives saccharin.

Difference between Two Processes:

Maumee Process Remsen-Fahlberg process

1. It is continuous process.2. Raw materials includes phthalic

anhydride, sulfuric acid.3. It takes little amount of compounds

in the production of saccharin.4. The yield is high.5. Heat of reaction is lower.6. This process is cost effective.7. It is used in many industries.

1. It is batch type process.2. Raw material includes toluene and

chlorosulfonic acid.3. It takes large amount of

compounds.4. The yield is low.5. Heat of reaction is much higher.6. This process is expensive.7. It was used in some parts

domestically.

Summary:

We can now summarize our whole writing as the saccharin is a replacement of sugar and used in low calorie foods and drinks. It is used in many household items including toothpastes, cake toppings, appetizers, desserts dressing, ice cream, soft drinks etc. It is widely used all over world and the production rate is increasing day by day. Eastern Europe is consuming it in large amount, as the amount is increasing. It is produce from two process throughout the world. The old process is Remsen-fahlberg process, which is used in older days when the advance technology was not available. Maumee is modern process used in many regions to produce Saccharin. It involves lesser raw material and produces qualitative amount of saccharin. Some new implications are made in this process to make it more efficient and cost effective. With all advantages, it can also pose few disadvantages, as it can be irritant to skin, eyes and respiratory system. But the large amount of saccharin is needed in order to cause these adverse effects.

References:

1. Henkel, John. "Sugar Substitutes: Americans Opt for Sweetness and Lite." FDA Consumer. December 1999.

2. George T. Austin. “Shreve’s chemical process industries”. Fifth edition.3. Richard L. Mayers. “The 100 most important chemical compounds: A reference

guide”. November 20074. "EPA Removes Saccharin from Hazardous Substances Listing." December 14, 2010,

accessed January 14, 2011.