Ingredient Index · E954

Is Saccharin banned in Europe?

Legal in both

No: saccharin (E954) is authorized as a sweetener in both the EU and the US. The 1970s cancer scare that put a warning label on it has been formally walked back on both sides of the Atlantic.

E-number: E954CAS: 81-07-2 Also seen as: E954, Benzoic sulfimide, Sodium saccharin, Sweet'N Low

What the EU does

Authorized, not banned. Saccharin and its sodium, potassium, and calcium salts are permitted across the EU as additive E954 under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, with maximum levels set per food category in the usual way for sweeteners. Its specifications are defined in Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012.

Europe has, if anything, grown more comfortable with it over time. In a 2024 re-evaluation, EFSA concluded that saccharin does not raise a genotoxicity or carcinogenicity concern and actually raised the acceptable daily intake from 5 to 9 mg per kilogram of body weight. So the regulatory direction in the EU is toward more headroom, not a ban.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (E954); Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012; EFSA re-evaluation 2024 (ADI raised to 9 mg/kg bw/day)

What the US does

Equally legal, and notably rehabilitated. The FDA has regulated saccharin as a permitted sweetener since 1977 (21 CFR 180.37), used in tabletop sweeteners, soft drinks, and processed foods. The famous detail is the warning label it once carried, prompted by 1970s studies that linked very high doses to bladder tumors in rats.

That story has since reversed. The mechanism behind the rat tumors turned out to be specific to rat urinary chemistry and not relevant to humans. In 2000 the US National Toxicology Program removed saccharin from its list of substances "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen," and Congress repealed the warning-label requirement the same year. So the honest summary is the opposite of the rumor: saccharin is permitted on both continents, the scare was retired by the regulators who raised it, and "banned in Europe" was never true.

Citation 21 CFR 180.37 (saccharin); NTP delisting 2000; US warning-label requirement repealed 2000

Products that commonly contain it

Saccharin is a zero-calorie sweetener roughly 300 to 400 times sweeter than sugar, and one of the oldest in use (discovered 1879). You will find it in:

Sweet'N Low and other pink-packet tabletop sweeteners
Some diet sodas and fountain drinks, often blended with aspartame
Sugar-free baked goods, jams, and canned fruit
Toothpaste, mouthwash, and many chewable or liquid medicines

What to look for on a label

Saccharin appears under a few names, depending on the product and region:

"Saccharin" or "sodium saccharin" in the ingredient list
"E954" on EU-labeled products
"Sweet'N Low", the dominant US brand
Often paired with aspartame or cyclamate to round out the taste

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Frequently asked questions

Is saccharin banned in Europe?

No. Saccharin (E954) is authorized as a sweetener under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, with maximum levels per food category. EFSA raised its acceptable daily intake to 9 mg/kg in a 2024 re-evaluation.

Why did saccharin used to have a cancer warning?

1970s studies linked high doses to bladder tumors in rats. The effect was later found to be specific to rat physiology and not relevant to humans, so the US removed saccharin from its carcinogen list in 2000 and repealed the warning label that year.

Is saccharin the same as Sweet'N Low?

Sweet'N Low is the best-known US brand of saccharin. The sweetening ingredient is saccharin (usually sodium saccharin); the packets also contain bulking agents like dextrose.

Is saccharin legal in the United States?

Yes. The FDA has permitted it since 1977 under 21 CFR 180.37, and no warning label is required following the 2000 repeal.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 23, 2026 · How we assign statuses