Is Saccharin Safe?
The FDA says it is. It says saccharin was linked with bladder cancer in laboratory rats in the early 1970s, which led Congress to mandate more studies and a warning label, and that more than 30 human studies since then demonstrated the rat results were irrelevant to humans and that saccharin is safe for human consumption.
The warnings came off. The FDA says the National Toxicology Program concluded in 2000 that saccharin should be removed from the list of potential carcinogens, and that products containing saccharin no longer have to carry the warning label. The NTP's ninth Report on Carcinogens, released May 15, 2000, removed saccharin after a formal delisting review, and the EPA removed saccharin and its salts from its hazardous waste and hazardous substance lists in a rule effective January 18, 2011.
Its FDA rule is still an interim one. Under 21 CFR 180.37, in the part for food additives permitted on an interim basis, saccharin and its salts may be used as sweetening agents for a valid special dietary purpose or an authorized technological purpose other than calorie reduction, and the rule says that authority expires when the FDA Commissioner receives final reports on ongoing studies in Canada and publishes an order on the safety of saccharin and its salts.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceThe FDA says saccharin was linked with bladder cancer in laboratory rats in the early 1970s, and more than 30 human studies since then demonstrated the rat results were irrelevant to humans and saccharin is safe for human consumption. US FDA ↗
- Government sourceThe FDA says the National Toxicology Program concluded in 2000 that saccharin should be removed from the list of potential carcinogens, and products containing it no longer have to carry the warning label. US FDA ↗
- Government sourceThe National Toxicology Program's ninth Report on Carcinogens, publicly released May 15, 2000, removed saccharin as a result of a formal review for delisting. National Toxicology Program, Federal Register ↗
- Regulatory filingThe EPA removed saccharin and its salts from its RCRA hazardous waste lists and its CERCLA hazardous substances list in a final rule effective January 18, 2011. US EPA, Federal Register ↗
- Regulatory filingUnder 21 CFR 180.37, saccharin and its salts may be used as sweetening agents for a valid special dietary purpose or an authorized technological purpose other than calorie reduction. US FDA, 21 CFR 180.37 (eCFR) ↗
- Regulatory filingThe saccharin rule says authority for its use expires when the Commissioner receives final reports on ongoing studies in Canada and publishes an order on the safety of saccharin and its salts. US FDA, 21 CFR 180.37 (eCFR) ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.