FEMA GRAS assessment of natural flavor complexes: Lemongrass oil, chamomile oils, citronella oil and related flavoring ingredients

Thomas J Rosol; Samuel M Cohen; Gerhard Eisenbrand; Shoji Fukushima; Nigel J Gooderham; F Peter Guengerich; Stephen S Hecht; Ivonne M C M Rietjens; Jeanne M Davidsen; Christie L Harman; Shannen Kelly; Danarubini Ramanan; Sean V Taylor

doi:10.1016/j.fct.2023.113697

FEMA GRAS assessment of natural flavor complexes: Lemongrass oil, chamomile oils, citronella oil and related flavoring ingredients

Food Chem Toxicol. 2023 May:175:113697. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.113697. Epub 2023 Mar 3.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, 1 Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.
² Havlik-Wall Professor of Oncology, Dept. of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 983135 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-3135, USA.
³ University of Kaiserslautern, Germany (Retired), Kühler Grund 48/1, 69126, Heidelberg, Germany.
⁴ Japan Bioassay Research Center, 2445 Hirasawa, Hadano, Kanagawa, 257-0015, Japan.
⁵ Dept. of Metabolism, Digestion, Reproduction, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
⁶ Tadashi Inagami Professor of Biochemistry, Dept. of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 37232-0146, USA.
⁷ Wallin Professor of Cancer Prevention, Masonic Cancer Center and Dept. of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Cancer and Cardiovascular Research Building, 2231 6th St., S.E., Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
⁸ Professor of Toxicology, Division of Toxicology, Wageningen University, Stippeneng 4, 6708, WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
⁹ Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association, 1101 17th Street, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, D.C., 20036, USA.
¹⁰ Scientific Secretary to the FEMA Expert Panel, 1101 17th Street, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, D.C., 20036, USA. Electronic address: staylor@vertosolutions.net.

PMID: 36870670
DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.113697

Abstract

In 2015, the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) initiated a program for the re-evaluation of the safety of over 250 natural flavor complexes (NFCs) used as flavor ingredients. This publication, eleventh in the series, evaluates the safety of NFCs characterized by primary alcohol, aldehyde, carboxylic acid, ester and lactone constituents derived from terpenoid biosynthetic pathways and/or lipid metabolism. The scientific-based evaluation procedure published in 2005 and updated in 2018 that relies on a complete constituent characterization of the NFC and organization of the constituents into congeneric groups. The safety of the NFCs is evaluated using the threshold of toxicological concern (TTC) concept in addition to data on estimated intake, metabolism and toxicology of members of the congeneric groups and for the NFC under evaluation. The scope of the safety evaluation does not include added use in dietary supplements or any products other than food. Twenty-three NFCs, derived from the Hibiscus, Melissa, Ricinus, Anthemis, Matricaria, Cymbopogon, Saussurea, Spartium, Pelargonium, Levisticum, Rosa, Santalum, Viola, Cryptocarya and Litsea genera were affirmed as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) under their conditions of intended use as flavor ingredients based on an evaluation of each NFC and the constituents and congeneric groups therein.

Keywords: Absolutes and extracts; Acid and ester constituents; Essential oils; GRAS; Natural Flavor Complex; Primary alcohol; Safety evaluation; aldehyde.

MeSH terms

Chamomile
Ethanol
Flavoring Agents* / toxicity
Food Industry
Oils, Volatile*
Terpenes

Substances

lemongrass oil
citronella oil
Flavoring Agents
Oils, Volatile
Terpenes
Ethanol