Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Opinion on acetaldehyde as a flavouring substance: considerations for risk assessment Acetaldehyde occurs naturally in many foods and is also used as a flavouring due to its fruity aroma. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified acetaldehyde as possibly carcinogenic to humans and, in combination with oral intake via alcoholic beverages, as carcinogenic to humans. Therefore, the question arises whether the use of acetaldehyde as a flavouring agent is still justifiable. The Senate Commission on Food Safety (SKLM) of the German Research Foundation (DFG) reviewed the scientific basis for health risk assessment of the use of acetaldehyde as a flavouring substance and adopted an opinion. Based on the available data, it is at present not possible to conclude if acetaldehyde is genotoxic and mutagenic in vivo after oral exposure. There is also uncertainty regarding the contribution of acetaldehyde as a flavouring substance to the overall exposure to acetaldehyde. Therefore, a science-based assessment on health risk related to the use of acetaldehyde as a flavouring is not possible at present. Considering the genotoxic potential as well as numerous data gaps that need to be closed for a full risk assessment, the SKLM is concerned about the safety of acetaldehyde as a flavouring substance. For reasons of precautionary consumer protection, the SKLM considers that the use of acetaldehyde as a food additive should be re-evaluated.
Authors: Jan G. Hengstler, Matthias Baum, Alexander T. Cartus, Patrick Diel, Gerhard Eisenbrand, Karl-Heinz Engel, Barbara Engeli, Bernd Epe, Tilman Grune, Sabine Guth, Dirk Haller, Volker Heinz, Michael Hellwig, Thomas Henle, Hans-Ulrich Humpf, Henry Jäger, Hans-Georg Joost, Sabine E. Kulling, Dirk W. Lachenmeier, Alfonso Lampen, Marcel Leist, Angela Mally, Doris Marko, Ute Nöthlings, Elke Röhrdanz, Angelika Roth, Joachim Spranger, Richard Stadler, Pablo Steinberg, Stefan Vieths, Wim Wätjen
Institutions: Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, German Sport University Cologne, Technical University of Munich, Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, German Institute of Human Nutrition, German Institute of Food Technologies, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Technische Universität Dresden, University of Münster, BOKU University, Max Rubner Institut, Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Karlsruhe, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), University of Konstanz, University of Würzburg, University of Vienna, University of Bonn, Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Nestlé (Switzerland), Paul Ehrlich Institut, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
Language: English
Subfield: Cancer Research
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,390
Award: G3302311889
OpenAlex ID: W4286433196