Artificial Sweetener

For most chemists not washing their hands before eating something, may prove to be lethal. However, this unhygienic act led Constantin Fahlberg to notice a sweet flavor.

Artificial sweetener was invented in 1879 because Constantin Fahlberg forgot to wash his hands before eating. He was trying to come up with new and interesting uses for coal tar when he took a break from his work, and went home. While eating the rolls he noticed something sweet. Surprised with the new taste he asked his wife if she had done anything new to the rolls. But she had not.

It was then that Constantin Fahlberg realized that the sweet taste must have been coming from his hands. Fahlberg returned to his lab the very next day and started working to find out the sweet spot.

He consulted with his mentor, Ira Remsen, who was also the in charge of the lab. And later, the duo published a research paper which explained the newly discovered sweet substance Saccharine.