sunett

Sunett is a brand name for saccharin, an artificial sweetener. Saccharin was the first commercially successful artificial sweetener, discovered in 1879 by Constantin Fahlberg. It is approximately 300 to 400 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). Sunett, and saccharin in general, is used to sweeten a variety of products, including diet soft drinks, tabletop sweeteners, chewing gum, canned fruit, candy, jam, and toothpaste. It is often used in combination with other artificial sweeteners to achieve a more sugar-like taste and to mask any lingering metallic or bitter aftertaste that saccharin can sometimes impart.

The safety of saccharin has been a subject of considerable research and debate. In the 1970s, studies in rats showed a link between high doses of saccharin and bladder cancer. This led to warning labels being required on saccharin-containing products in the United States. However, further research indicated that the mechanism causing cancer in rats was not relevant to humans. Consequently, saccharin was delisted from the U.S. National Toxicology Program's Report on Carcinogens in 2000, and warning label requirements were removed. Regulatory bodies worldwide, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), consider saccharin to be safe for consumption within acceptable daily intake (ADI) levels. The ADI for saccharin is typically set at 5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day.