Cyclamate levels in tabletop sweeteners and risk of exceeding daily limits
What it found
Cyclamate amounts in tabletop sweeteners varied widely, from 2.9% to 73.9%.
The authors say eating about 11 to 13 tablets of one brand could push an adult past the daily limit.
What they found
Wide range of cyclamate
The amount of sodium cyclamate in the products varied greatly, from 2.9% to 73.9%. Tablets had the highest levels, while liquids and powders had much less.
Reaching the daily limit
For an adult weighing 60 to 75 kg, taking in about 11 to 13 tablets of the most concentrated brand would reach the daily limit of 7 mg per kg of body weight. Powders and liquids would not easily reach that limit.
Children face lower limits
Because children weigh less, they would reach their daily limit with even fewer tablets than adults. The authors note this excludes cyclamate from other sources like soft drinks.
Batch consistency varied
Powder and tablet samples had similar cyclamate levels within and between batches. One liquid brand showed uneven levels within the same batch, which may point to loose manufacturing controls.
Lab method worked well
The test method recovered between 92% and 108% of the cyclamate present. Repeated tests gave very similar results, with variation under 3.3%.
What the authors conclude
- They say there is a real chance that people could exceed the daily limit for cyclamate by using these tabletop sweeteners.
- They suggest setting maximum limits for intense sweeteners in tabletop products to prevent overly concentrated brands.
- They advise making it mandatory to list the exact cyclamate content on labels so shoppers can control what they take in.
How it was done
Tabletop sweeteners have no set maximum limit for cyclamate in the European Union. The authors wanted a reliable lab method to measure it and check if people might take in too much.
They tested a lab method for measuring cyclamate on 28 packs of four tabletop sweetener brands bought in Lisbon. The products included liquids, powders and tablets. They checked how consistent the measurements were across different batches.
What it can’t tell you
- This work measured what was in the products, not what happens in the human body.
- It used calculations to estimate intake rather than tracking what people actually eat.
- These estimates cannot show whether going over the daily limit causes harm.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- High Institute of Engineering of Lisbon, Portugal; National Health Institute Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Portugal
The paper
- Title
- Validation of an HPLC-DAD/UV method for the quantification of cyclamate in tabletop sweeteners: risk of exceeding the acceptable daily intake
- Type
- Study
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Sargaço B, Serra C, Vasco E (2017). Validation of an HPLC-DAD/UV method for the quantification of cyclamate in tabletop sweeteners: risk of exceeding the acceptable daily intake. Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment. doi:10.1080/19440049.2017.1306756Free full textPubMed 28395647DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error