THE FEMA GRAS ASSESSMENT OF FURFURAL USED AS A FLAVOR 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 curre nt scientific information on exposure, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, t oxicology, carcinogenicity and genotoxicity. Furfural was reaffirmed a s GRAS (GRASr) as a flavour ingredient under conditions of intended us e based on: (1) its mode of metabolic detoxication in humans; (2) its low level of flavour use compared with higher intake levels as a natur ally occurring component of food; (3) the safety factor calculated fro m results of subchronic and chronic studies, (4) the lack of reactivit y with DNA; and (5) the conclusion that the only statistically signifi cant finding in the 2-year NTP bioassays, an increased incidence of he patocellular adenomas and carcinomas in the high-dose group of male mi ce, 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 o ccurrence 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 flavo ur ingredient. (C) Elsevier Science Ltd.