INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY

    WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION



    TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOME
    FOOD COLOURS, ENZYMES, FLAVOUR
    ENHANCERS, THICKENING AGENTS, AND
    CERTAIN FOOD ADDITIVES



    WHO FOOD ADDITIVES SERIES 6







    The evaluations contained in this publication were prepared by the
    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives which met in Rome,
    4-13 June 19741


    World Health Organization     Geneva     1975






              

    1  Eighteenth Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on
    Food Additives, Wld Hlth Org. techn. Rep. Ser., 1974, No. 557.
    FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, 1974, No. 54.

    CANTHAXANTHINE*

    Explanation

         This compound has been evaluated for acceptable daily intake by
    the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (see Annex I,
    Ref. No. 10) in 1966.

         Since the previous evaluation no additional data have become
    available. The previously published monograph has been reproduced in
    its entirety below.

    BIOLOGICAL DATA

    BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS

         Canthaxanthine does not exhibit provitamin A activity (Anonymous,
    1966).

    TOXICOLOGICAL STUDIES

    Acute toxicity
                                                                

                             LD50
    Animal    Route          mg/kg bw            Reference
                                                                

    Mouse     Oral           10 000              Anonymous, 1966
                                                                

    Short-term studies

    Dog

         Groups of three male and three female dogs received 0, 100 and
    400 mg/kg daily of canthaxanthine for 15 weeks. No significant effect
    was noted on body weight of control or test groups or on their general
    health (Anonymous, 1966).

              

    *    This substance was detected for the first time in an edible
    mushroom, the chanterelle (Cantharellus cinnabarinus). It was
    subsequently shown to be present in the plumage and organs of
    flamingoes and various exotic birds such as the scarlet ibis
    (Guara rubra) and the roscato spoonbill (Ajaja ajaja). It has
    recently been detected in various crustacea and fish (trout, salmon)
    (Haxo. 1950; Fox, 1962a and b; Thommen & Wackernagel, 1963).

    Long-term studies

    Rat

         A three-generation study using 0 ppm and 1000 ppm in the diet
    revealed no adverse effect in any generation (Anonymous, 1966).

         In another experiment, 25-30 male and 25-30 female rats received
    0%, 0.5%, 2% and 5% canthaxanthine in their diet for 93-98 weeks. No
    adverse effect was noted on food consumption and weight gain.
    Mortality and tumour incidence were not increased (Anonymous, 1966).


    Comments:

         This compound has been adequately tested in the rat and has no
    provitamin A activity. Evaluation is therefore based on the
    toxicological information provided.

    EVALUATION

    Level causing no toxicological effect

         Rat: 5% (= 50 000 ppm) in the diet equivalent to 2500 mg/kg bw

    Estimate of acceptable daily intake for man

         0-25 mg/kg bw.

    REFERENCES

    Anonymous (1966) Hoffmann-La Roche, Unpublished report submitted to
         WHO

    Fox, D. L. (1962a) Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 6, 1

    Fox, D. L. (1962b) Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 6, 305

    Haxo F. (1950) Botan. Gaz., 122, 228

    Thommen, H. & Wackernagel, H. (1963) Biochem. Biophys. Acta., 69. 387

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations