Sweet Success at King's College London

A Chemistry research collaboration that unexpectedly created a zero-calorie sweetner

The discovery of Sucralose has been described as one of the strangest ‘accidental’ research discoveries of all time. In 1978, researchers at King’s College London were investigating a new chemical form of sucrose. A graduate student was apparently asked to ‘test’ the new compound, which he mistook for ‘taste’. On tasting it, he found that it was incredibly sweet.

Sucralose, a sucrose derivative many times sweeter than ordinary sugar, is now marketed by Tate & Lyle as ‘Splenda’: a zero calorie artificial sweetener. ‘Splenda’ has generated enormous financial returns for Tate & Lyle, and unquestionably delivered wider benefits to the UK economy: last year, sales of Splenda were £148m. In addition, the product has improved the quality of many people’s lives, becoming an important ingredient in desserts and other sweet foods for diabetics, and in diet products.

An extended collaboration between Tate & Lyle and King’s College London has established the Tate & Lyle health research centre, which conducts research into gastrointestinal health, carbohydrate metabolism and related health implications such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.