What E952 actually is
Cyclamate is about 30 to 50 times sweeter than sugar, far weaker than aspartame or sucralose, which is why it is almost always blended with saccharin. The blend masks each one's aftertaste. It is heat-stable, so it survives cooking.
What it is made from
Synthesised chemically, with no plant or animal input.
Vegan, vegetarian, and halal status
Fully synthetic, so it suits vegan, vegetarian, halal, and kosher diets.
Is E952 safe?
Cyclamate is the clearest case of two regulators reading the same evidence differently. The FDA banned it in 1970 after a study in which rats fed a cyclamate and saccharin blend developed bladder tumours. Later work questioned that finding, and the manufacturer has petitioned repeatedly for reinstatement without success, so the US ban still stands. EFSA and the UK permit it with an acceptable daily intake of 7 mg per kg of body weight per day. The current scientific discussion centres on cyclohexylamine, a metabolite some people's gut bacteria produce from it, which is why the intake limit is comparatively low.
- Banned in the United States since 1970 and still not reinstated
- Some gut bacteria convert it to cyclohexylamine, which is the basis for the relatively low intake limit
- EFSA acceptable daily intake of 7 mg per kg of body weight per day
- Almost always blended with saccharin, so the two appear together
Where regulators stand
- EFSA (EU)
- Permitted with an acceptable daily intake of 7 mg per kg of body weight per day.
- FDA (US)
- Banned for food use since 1970. Petitions for reinstatement have not succeeded.
Foods it turns up in
- Tabletop sweeteners
- Diet soft drinks in markets where it is permitted
- Sugar-free jams and preserves
- Some medicines
Names it hides behind
- E952
- Cyclamate
- Sodium cyclamate
- Calcium cyclamate
- Cyclamic acid
- Sweetener (E952)
Common questions
- Why is cyclamate banned in the US?
- A 1969 study found bladder tumours in rats fed a cyclamate and saccharin blend, and the FDA banned it in 1970. Later work questioned the finding, but repeated petitions to reinstate it have not succeeded.
- Is cyclamate safe if the EU allows it?
- EFSA permits it with an intake limit, having assessed the same and later evidence differently from the FDA. Both positions come from real regulators reading real data; they simply weigh it differently.
- Is cyclamate vegan and halal?
- Yes. It is entirely synthetic with no animal-derived input.
- Why is cyclamate always with saccharin?
- Cyclamate is comparatively weak and saccharin has a metallic aftertaste. Blended, they taste closer to sugar than either does alone.
- What is cyclohexylamine?
- A metabolite some people's gut bacteria produce from cyclamate. Concern about it is the main reason the acceptable daily intake is set relatively low.
Checking a real pack
This page answers the code. The pack in your hand is what decides, because the same code can come from different sources depending on the manufacturer. LabelWise, formerly SafeChoice, scans the label and explains what is in front of you.
LabelWise content is educational and describes how additives are made, regulated, and labelled. It is not medical, dietary, or religious advice. For certification questions, the mark on the pack and the certifying body are the authority.