Characterization of aminosaccharins in commercial sodium saccharin produced by the Maumee process

The most abundant polar impurities detected by ion-pair high-pressure liquid chromatography of sodium saccharin produced by the Maumee process were identified as 5- and 6-aminosaccharin. The combined levels of these compounds in the samples analysed ranged from 99 to 152 mg/kg. Other less abundant polar impurities identified in Maumee process sodium saccharin were 7-aminosaccharin and o-sulphamoylbenzoic acid. Mutagenicity assays of 5-aminosaccharin, 6-aminosaccharin and a polar impurity fraction isolated from Maumee saccharin, gave negative results.