Toxicological evaluation of some food
    additives including anticaking agents,
    antimicrobials, antioxidants, emulsifiers
    and thickening agents



    WHO FOOD ADDITIVES SERIES NO. 5







    The evaluations contained in this publication
    were prepared by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert
    Committee on Food Additives which met in Geneva,
    25 June - 4 July 19731

    World Health Organization
    Geneva
    1974

              

    1    Seventeenth Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on
    Food Additives, Wld Hlth Org. techn. Rep. Ser., 1974, No. 539;
    FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, 1974, No. 53.


    THIODIPROPIONIC ACID AND DILAURYL ESTER

    Explanation

         These substances have been evaluated for acceptable daily intake
    by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (see Annex 1,
    Refs Nos 6 and 9) in 1961 and 1964.

         The previously published monographs have been revised and are
    reproduced in their entirety below.

    BIOLOGICAL DATA

    BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS

         No information available.

    TOXICOLOGICAL STUDIES

    Acute toxicity

    THIODIPROPIONIC ACID
                                                                    

    Animal         Route     LD50 mg/kg bw       Reference
                                                                    

    Mouse          oral          2 000           Lehman et al., 1951

    Mouse          i.p.            250           Lehman et al., 1951

    Mouse          i.v.            175           Lehman et al., 1951

    Rat            oral          3 000           Lehman et al., 1951

    Rat            i.p.            500           Lehman et al., 1951

    Rat            i.v.          > 300           Lehman et al., 1951
                                                                    

    DILAURYL THIODIPROPIONATE
                                                                    

    Animal         Route     LD50 mg/kg bw       Reference
                                                                    

    Mouse          oral        > 2 000           Lehman et al., 1951

    Mouse          i.p.        > 2 000           Lehman et al., 1951

    Rat            oral        > 2 500           Lehman et al., 1951
                                                                    


    DISTEARYL THIODIPROPIONATE
                                                                    

    Animal         Route     LD50 mg/kg bw       Reference
                                                                    

    Mouse          oral         > 2 000          Lehman et al., 1951

    Mouse          i.p.         > 2 000          Lehman et al., 1951

    Rat            oral         > 2 500          Lehman et al., 1951
                                                                    

    Short-term studies

    Rat

         Mixtures of thiodipropionic acid and dilauryl thiodipropionate
    were heated with lard in concentrations at least 10 times that
    recommended for use and fed to rats. There was no detectable toxic
    effect (Lehman et al., 1951).

    Guinea-pig

         Thiodipropionic acid was fed to guinea-pigs at a level of 0.5% in
    the drinking-water for a period of 120 days. No significant effect was
    noted on weight or mortality (Lehman et al., 1951).

    Dog

         Dogs were fed a mixture of 10 parts by weight of dilauryl
    thiodipropionate and one part of thiodipropionic acid in the diet at
    concentrations of 0.1% and 3.0% of the acid-ester mixture. No untoward
    effects were noted over a period of 100 days (Lehman et al., 1951).

    Long-term studies

    Rat

         Thiodipropionic acid or its dilauryl or distearyl ester was fed
    to groups of 20 rats each at levels of 0%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 3.0% in the
    diet for a period of two years. No discernible adverse effects were
    observed in any of the experimental animals, as determined by growth
    rate, mortality, and pathological examination (Lehman et al., 1951).

    Comments:

         It would be desirable to have biochemical studies and
    observations on human subjects.

    EVALUATION

    Level causing no toxicological effect

         Rat: 30 000 ppm (3%) in the diet equivalent to 1500 mg/kg bw.

    Estimate of acceptable daily intake for man

         0-3* mg/kg bw.**

    FURTHER WORK OR INFORMATION

    Desirable

         Biochemical studies and observation on human subjects.
    Specifications for the distearyl ester.

    REFERENCE

    Lehman, A. J. et al. (1951) Advanc. Food Res., 3, 197

              

    *    Calculated as thiodipropionic acid.

    **   The ADI does not apply to the distearyl ester as no
    specifications are available.

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations