Alkenylbenzene Standards

Alkenylbenzenes, comprising, among others, estragole, methyleugenol, ß-asarone, myristicin, elemicin or apiole, are found in many food and medicinal plants, e.g., anise, basil, fennel, nutmeg, pepper, star anise or tarragon. Due to their genotoxic effects, alkenylbenzenes and products containing them are increasingly subject to scientific and regulatory scrutiny, although the relevance of the toxicological findings for humans remains questionable.^1-4

In 2022 the European Commission has initiated a safety assessment of fennel tea by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) which is due in May 2025. The associated EFSA call for data focuses on occurrence data of estragole, methyleugenol and safrole in food such as herbal teas and food supplements.⁵ Already since 2011, regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings prohibits the addition of ß-asarone, estragole, methyleugenol and safrole to food and defines maximum levels for certain foods flavoured with preparations that naturally contain these substances.⁶ The EMA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) in its updated Public Statement on herbal medicinal products containing estragole, recommends restrictions in use levels and reductions in exposure through herbal medicinal products.⁷ In recent authorization procedures of botanical feed additives the EFSA has imposed restrictions for the content and labelling of, e.g., estragole or methyleugenol.⁸

PhytoLab is offering you an outstanding portfolio of fully documented high purity phyproof reference standards of relevant alkenylbenzenes for quantitative analysis and research.

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[1] Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on Estragole (1-Allyl-4-methoxybenzene) 2001.SCF/CS/FLAV/FLAVOUR/6 ADD 2 Final, 26.09.2001. http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out104_en.pdf

[2] Smith RL, Adams TB, Doull J, Feron VJ, Goodman JI, Marnett LJ, Portoghese PS, Waddell WJ, Wagner BM, Rogers AE, Caldwell J and Sipes IG, 2002. Safety assessment of allylalkoxybenzene derivatives used as flavouring substances – methyl eugenol and estragole. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 40:851-870. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0278-6915(02)00012-1

[3] Eisenreich A, Götz ME, Sachse B, Monien BH, Herrmann K and Schäfer B, 2021. Alkenylbenzenes in foods: Aspects impeding the evaluation of adverse health effects. Foods 2021, 10(9), 2139. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10092139

[4] Götz ME, Sachse B, Schäfer B and Eisenreich A, 2022. Myristicin and elemicin: Potentially toxic alkenylbenzenes in food. Foods, 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11131988

[5] Protocol for the Scientific Opinion on the evaluation of the safety in use of preparations from the fruits of sweet and bitter fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill. and Foeniculum piperitum (Ucria) C.Presl) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)First published: 22 September 2023 https://doi.org/10.2903/sp.efsa.2023.EN-8245

[6] REGULATION (EC) No 1334/2008 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 December 2008 on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties for use in and on foods and amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 1601/91, Regulations (EC) No 2232/96 and (EC) No 110/2008 and Directive 2000/13/EC

[8] Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC) Public statement on the use of herbal medicinal products containing estragole, EMA/HMPC/137212/2005 Rev. 1 Corr., 12.05.2023. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/other/public-statement-use-herbal-medicinal-products-containing-estragole-revision-1_en.pdf

[9] EFSA FEEDAP Panel (EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed), 2022a. Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil from the fruit of Cuminum cyminum L. (cumin oil) for use in all animal species (FEFANAasbl). https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7690