That reminds me of the fact that the Romans used lead as a sweetener in their wa...

mc32 · on Dec 2, 2019

Do you mean they did that actively (using lead as an added sweetener)or was it passively (by proxy though the vessels they used)?

JackRabbitSlim · on Dec 2, 2019

They made sweet drinks by using lead vessels to store wine/vinegar with acetic acid in it. That created lead acetate; sweet and toxic.

I'm sure it started accidentally but was continued because it magically turned shitty sour wine into sweet wine.

A side note; we still actively use artificial sweeteners from petrochemical sources.

Scoundreller · on Dec 2, 2019

Dunno if lead acetate is/was sweet, or the lead just scavenged the acetic acid that was making the wine bad.

unwind · on Dec 3, 2019

Wikipedia[1] says:

Lead(II) acetate (Pb(CH3COO)2), also known as lead acetate, lead diacetate, plumbous acetate, sugar of lead, lead sugar, salt of Saturn, or Goulard's powder, is a white crystalline chemical compound with a sweet taste.

So clearly (?) it would add a sweet taste, regardless of how much of the acid was chemically consumed.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead(II)_acetate

kevin_thibedeau · on Dec 2, 2019

Lead acetate. The original, all natural, sugar free sweetener.

timemct · on Dec 2, 2019

Actively. IIRC, they would sweeten wine with lead.

newnewpdro · on Dec 2, 2019

Lead/lead-coated vessels were used in preparation and/or storage to deliberately affect the taste.