Tag: Accidental discoveries

In 1879, a chemist working with coal tar derivatives made a groundbreaking discovery when he forgot to wash his hands before eating. This serendipitous mistake is just one tale in the surprising history of how sweeteners have been discovered by accident, forever changing the food industry.

In 1965, chemist James M. Schlatter was working on an anti-ulcer drug at G.D. Searle & Company when he accidentally tasted a chemical compound on his finger that was intensely sweet. This serendipitous moment led to the discovery of aspartame, an artificial sweetener that would later become a global commodity.