The FEMA GRAS assessment of furfural used as a flavour ingredient

The Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers' Association (FEMA) has assessed the safety of furfural for its continued use as a flavour ingredient. The safety assessment takes into account the current scientific information on exposure, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, carc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Food and chemical toxicology 1997-08, Vol.35 (8), p.739-751
Main Authors: Adams, T.B., Doull, J., Goodman, J.I., Munro, I.C., Newberne, P., Portoghese, P.S., Smith, R.L., Wagner, B.M., Weil, C.S., Woods, L.A., Ford, R.A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
adenoma
Biological and medical sciences
carcinoma
flavor and extract manufacturers' association
flavor compounds
food safety
Food toxicology
furfural
genotoxicity
GRAS substances
literature reviews
liver
Medical sciences
metabolism
pharmacokinetics
professional associations
risk assessment
toxicity
Toxicology
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Summary:The Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers' Association (FEMA) has assessed the safety of furfural for its continued use as a flavour ingredient. The safety assessment takes into account the current scientific information on exposure, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, carcinogenicity and genotoxicity. Furfural was reaffirmed as GRAS (GRASr) as a flavour ingredient under conditions of intended use based on: (1) its mode of metabolic detoxication in humans; (2) its low level of flavour use compared with higher intake levels as a naturally occurring component of food; (3) the safety factor calculated from results of subchronic and chronic studies, (4) the lack of reactivity with DNA; and (5) the conclusion that the only statistically significant finding in the 2-year NTP bioassays, an increased incidence of hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas in the high-dose group of male mice, was secondary to pronounced hepatotoxicity. Taken together, these data do not indicate any risk to human health under conditions of use as a flavour ingredient. This evidence of safety is supported by the occurrence of furfural as a natural component of traditional foods, at concentrations in the diet resulting in a ‘natural intake’ that is at least 100 times higher than the intake of furfural from use as a flavour ingredient.
ISSN:0278-6915
1873-6351
DOI:10.1016/S0278-6915(97)00056-2