Key Points
Consuming more than 5 grams of saccharin, an artificial sweetener known to be about 300 to 400 times sweeter than regular sugar with zero calories, a day can be fatal, but sudden deaths due to artificial sweeteners have not been reported yet, contended doctors on Tuesday...
They reacted to the tragic case of a 10-year-old girl in Punjabs Patiala who died, last month, after eating her birthday cake, which was reportedly baked with a high concentration of saccharin...
Saccharine and other artificial sweeteners are generally considered safe and have undergone extensive trials which showcase safety as additives in food products..
Saccharin sodium is among the six artificial sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, neotame, and isomaltulose) approved to be used in food products by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)...
However, Dr Tushar Tayal, Lead Consultant, Department of Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram said that research suggests that artificial sweeteners can disrupt bacterias delicate balance in the digestive system and encourage types of bacteria that can raise glucose intolerance leading to an increased risk of metabolic disorders, such as obesity, cancer, and diabetes...
