Allervibe
E952
Cyclamates
A synthetic sweetener 30 to 50 times sweeter than sugar, authorised in the EU but not in the United States.
i Additive Details
| Is E952 Cyclamates safe?
Cyclamates are not authorised as a food additive in the United States. The FDA withdrew approval in 1970 after a rat study using a cyclamate and saccharin mixture reported bladder tumours; later research did not confirm a carcinogenic effect in humans, but the ban has never been reversed. In the EU they remain authorised only in a restricted list of food categories and are not permitted in foods for infants and young children. Gut bacteria in some people convert cyclamate into cyclohexylamine, and the toxicity of that metabolite is what sets the ADI.
| Uses
Used in tabletop sweeteners, energy-reduced soft drinks, sugar-free desserts and reduced-sugar jams. Cyclamates are heat stable and have a clean sweetness with little aftertaste, so they are usually blended with saccharin — commonly ten parts cyclamate to one part saccharin — to cover saccharin's metallic note. The E number covers cyclamic acid and its sodium and calcium salts.
| Interactions
Almost always combined with saccharin or acesulfame K, because cyclamate on its own is too weak a sweetener to replace sugar economically. Conversion to cyclohexylamine depends on an individual's gut flora and varies widely, so two people on the same intake can end up with very different blood levels of the metabolite.
| Origin
Synthetic. Produced by sulfonation of cyclohexylamine; the resulting cyclamic acid is neutralised to the sodium or calcium salt. Discovered accidentally in 1937.
| Daily Intake
The EU ADI is 7 mg per kg of body weight per day, expressed as cyclamic acid, set by the Scientific Committee on Food in 2000. Because cyclamate is a comparatively weak sweetener, large quantities are needed, and high consumers of sweetened drinks can approach this limit.
Information is sourced from public regulatory bodies (EFSA, FDA, WHO) and is for reference only. Always read the package and consult a healthcare professional for medical advice.
Related additives
- E950 Acesulfame K A calorie-free artificial sweetener about 200 times sweeter than sugar.
- E954 Saccharin The oldest artificial sweetener, roughly 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar.
- E960 Steviol glycosides Plant-derived sweeteners extracted from stevia leaves, about 200 to 350 times sweeter than sugar.
- E965 Maltitol A sugar alcohol used as a bulk sweetener, almost as sweet as sugar.
- E967 Xylitol A sugar alcohol as sweet as sugar, best known from dental chewing gum and mints.
- E968 Erythritol A sugar alcohol with virtually no calories, about 60 to 70 per cent as sweet as sugar.
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