Pulegone and Menthofuran in flavourings ‐ Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in contact with Food (AFC)

Abstract

SUMMARYThe Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food is asked to evaluate substances used as flavouring substances or present in flavourings or present in other food ingredients with flavouring properties. In particular, the Panel is asked to advise the Commission on the implications for human health of pulegone and menthofuran in the diet.The Panel noted that the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) had expressed an opinion on pulegone and menthofuran in July, 2002 and took cognizance of the documentation used in arriving at that opinion. The Panel also considered additional data on the metabolism and toxicological properties of pulegone and on in vivo extractability of menthofuran present in chewing gum not available to the SCF.The Panel noted that the metabolism of (R)-(+)-pulegone in mice and rats occurs mainly, though not exclusively, through pathways involving (R)-(+)-menthofuran and these two substances show a qualitatively similar hepatotoxicity. The Panel therefore agreed with the SCF opinion that the evaluation of (R)-(+)-pulegone and (R)-(+)-menthofuran should be considered together.The new 95-day toxicological data on the (R)-(+)-pulegone enabled the establishment of No Observed Adverse Effect Levels (NOAELs) in rats and mice, meeting one of the requirements of the SCF opinion. However, the data as a whole are not yet sufficient for the Panel to establish a TDI for pulegone.The Panel noted that refined estimates of pulegone intake from sweets were not available. It also noted the new estimates of intakes from chewing gum are considerably higher than some of the total estimates of mean intake from sweets, chewing gums & alcoholic beverages combined in the previous SCF opinion.The Panel observed that the current maximum permitted level of pulegone in food may lead to high intakes; particularly in subjects who consume regularly mint flavoured beverages or confectionery. For example it was noted that 500 ml/day of mint flavoured beverage and 100 g/day of mint confectionery could lead to intakes of respectively 4.2 mg/kg bw and 1.2 mg/kg bw for a 30 kg child. Pulegone and MenthofuranThe EFSA Journal (2005) 298, p. 2 of 32 The Panel found the database on (R)-(+)-menthofuran inadequate to establish an ADI for this flavouring substance. Because (R)-(+)-menthofuran may be formed during metabolism of (R)-(+)-pulegone and exhibits qualitatively similar toxicity. The Panel wishes the following studies to be provided within 2-years of the publication of this opinion.

Furanolysis with Menthofuran: A New Depolymerization Method for Analyzing Condensed Tannins

“…In the framework of our studies on the depolymerization of condensed tannins in the presence of substituted metalloles, preliminary experiments have led us to identify menthofuran (3,6-dimethyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1-benzofuran), a trisubstituted furan, as both an efficient and commercially available nucleophilic trapping reagent. Menthofuran, which is a major component of essential oils such as pennyroyal oil, has been the subject of numerous toxicological studies. , It is used as a flavoring agent (strong peppermint odor) in the food industry at a concentration up to 1000 ppm (i.e., in the same order of magnitude as in the method described herein). , This led us to evaluate it as a potential new reagent for the analytic depolymerization of condensed tannins. In the present work, menthofuran was compared to phloroglucinol and 2-mercaptoethanol, which are routinely used in standard depolymerization methods. , …”