Sucralose was accidentally discovered in 1976 during research on new insecticides.

While researching chlorinated sugar compounds for insecticide use at Queen Elizabeth College, a chemist misheard a request. He was told to 'test' the newly synthesized molecule, but he heard 'taste' instead. Licking the compound revealed an astonishing sweetness. By swapping three hydrogen-oxygen groups on a sucrose molecule with chlorine atoms, researchers created a substance 600 times sweeter than table sugar that the human body cannot readily metabolize.