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.

    TURMERIC AND CURCUMIN

    Explanation

         These compounds have been evaluated for acceptable daily intake
    by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (see Annex 1,
    Ref. No. 20) in 1969.

         Since the previous evaluation additional data have become
    available and are summarized and discussed in the following monograph.
    The previously published monograph has been expanded and is reproduced
    in its entirety below.

    BIOLOGICAL DATA

    BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS

         Curcumin at 0.1% in the diet lowered the serum and liver
    cholesterol levels of rats fed cholesterol at 1% in their diet for
    seven weeks. Faecal output of bile acids was increased in rats fed
    curcumin with or without added cholesterol. Cholesterol excretion was
    also enhanced by feeding curcumin (Rao et al., 1970).

    TOXICOLOGICAL STUDIES

    Acute toxicity

         No data available.

    Short-term studies

    Dog

         Two dogs were fed for one year on a diet containing approximately
    1% commercial turmeric. No adverse effects were noted compared with
    two controls (Truhaut, 1958)

    Long-term studies

    Rat

         Groups of 20 male and 20 female rats were fed for 420 days on a
    diet containing 0.5% of commercial turmeric with a control group of 15
    males and 15 females. The average life span of test animals was 16-1/2
    months compared with 17 months of the controls. Growth, haematology or
    reproductive function were undisturbed as well as survival of the
    pups. Passive congestion of the liver was seen equally in test and
    control animals. No tumours were found. A follow-up of the first
    filial generation for their life span showed no abnormalities except
    for one benign tumour in a female rat (Truhaut, 1958).

    Comments:

         Studies on turmeric with an undefined curcumin content are
    available. The single level tested revealed no adverse effects and the
    true no-effect level may well be higher than the test level chosen.
    Turmeric is now known to contain an average of 3% curcumin. On this
    basis it is possible to evaluate both turmeric and curcumin
    temporarily until the results of the further studies requested are
    made available.

    EVALUATION

    Turmeric

    Level causing no toxicological effect

         Rat: 0.5% (= 5000 ppm) in the diet equivalent to 250 mg/kg bw.

    Estimate of acceptable daily intake for man

         0-2.5 mg/kg bw*

    Curcumin (considered to be present in turmeric at 3%)

    Estimate of acceptable daily intake for man

         0-0.1 mg/kg bw*

    FURTHER WORK OR INFORMATION

    Required by June 1978

    Turmeric: Adequate short-term study in a non-rodent, long-term study
    at higher levels in a rodent species to establish no-effect level,
    using turmeric with well defined curcumin content.

    Curcumin: Metabolic studies preferably including man, adequate long-
    term studies in rodent species, reproduction and embryotoxicity
    including teratogenicity.

    REFERENCES

    Rao, D. S. et al. (1970) J. Nutrition, 100, 1307

    Truhaut, R. (1958) C. R. on 18ème Congrès de la F.I.P. Bruxelles, 8-15
         September

              

    *    Temporary.

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Turmeric and curcumin (WHO Food Additives Series 17)