FAO Nutrition Meetings
    Resort Series No. 44A
    WHO/Food Add./68.33




    TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOME
    FLAVOURING SUBSTANCES AND
    NON-NUTRITIVE SWEETENING AGENTS





    Geneva, 21-28 August 1967



    The Eleventh Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food
    Additives is published as FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series,
    1967, No. 44; Wld Hlth Org. techn. Rep. Ser., 1968, 383. This
    Report contains general considerations, including the principles
    adopted for the evaluation, and a summary of the results of the
    evaluations of a number of food additives. Additional information,
    such as biological data and a toxicological evaluation, considered at
    that meeting, is to be found in this document.


    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
    World Health Organization
    1967


    MALTO

    Chemical name            3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone

    Empirical formula        C6H6O3

    Structural formula

    

    Molecular weight         126.11

    Definition               Maltol contains not less than 98 per cent. 
                             C6H6O3.

    Description              A white, crystalline powder having a
                             characteristic caramel-butterscotch odour,
                             and suggestive of fruity-strawberry aroma in
                             dilute solution.

    Biological Data

    Biochemical aspects

         No data available.

    Acute toxicity

                                                                       

    Animal          Route    LD50            Reference
                             (mg/kg 
                             body-weight)
                                                                       
    Mouse           oral     550             Dow Chemical Company, 1967

    Rat             oral     1410            Dow Chemical Company, 1967

    Guinea-pig      oral     1410            Dow Chemical Company, 1967
    (male)

    Rabbit (male)   oral     1620            Dow Chemical Company, 1967
                                                                       

    Short-term studies

         Rat. Groups of 15 males and 15 females were fed 0 and 1.0 per
    cent. maltol for 6 months without adverse effect on growth, survival,
    organ weights, haematology and microscopic appearance of major organs
    (Dow Chemical Company, 1967). 

    Long-term studies

         No information available.

    Comments

         In the absence of biochemical and long-term studies, the
    evaluation is based on the short-term study.

    EVALUATION

    Level causing no toxicological effect

         Rat. 10 000 ppm in the diet, equivalent to 500 mg/kg/day.

    Estimate of acceptable daily intake for man

                                       mg/kg body-weight

         Temporary acceptance                 0-1

    Further work required

         Biochemical studies in animals and man within three years.

    REFERENCE

    Dow Chemical Company (1967) Unpublished report
    

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Maltol (WHO Food Additives Series 13)
       Maltol (WHO Food Additives Series 16)
       MALTOL (JECFA Evaluation)