TRIETHYL CITRATE* Explanation This compound was reviewed at the 23rd and 25th Meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. (Annex 1, Ref. 50, 56) A temporary acceptable daily intake for man (ADI) of 0-10 mg/kg b.w. was established. A toxicological monograph was published in 1980. (Annex 1, Ref. 51.) Since the previous evaluation, additional data have become available and are summarized and discussed in the following monograph addendum. BIOLOGICAL DATA Metabolism Samples of freshly collected rat or human serum were spiked with triethyl citrate and the disappearance of the triethyl citrate measured over a 4 hr period. Triethyl citrate was rapidly hydrolysed by rat serum (15 min.), but occurred at a much slower rate in human serum and was not complete at the end of the 4 hr test period (Figdor & Ballinger, 1981). Rat-, mouse- and human-liver homogenates as well as serum enzymes hydrolyse triethyl citrate to 1 mol citric acid and 3 mol ethanol/mol ester (Burns & Werners, 1962). Comments Although it seems unlikely that unchanged triethyl citrate would be absorbed, in vitro studies are available to show that both the liver and blood serum have enzyme systems capable of hydrolysing the ester. EVALUATION Level causing no toxicological effect Rat: 4% in the diet (40,000 ppm) equivalent to 2 g/kg body weight. Estimate of an acceptable daily intake in man 0 - 20 mg/kg bw. * Monograph addendum REFERENCES BRUNS, F.H. & WERNERS, H.P. (1962) Zum Stoffwechsel von Triathylcitrat und Acetyltriathylcitrat. Klin. Wschr., 40: 1169. FIGDOR, S.K. & BALLINGER, W.E. (1981) Triethyl Citrate Disappearance from Rat and Human Serum. Unpublished report from Pfizer Central Laboratory, Groton, Conn., USA. Submitted to the WHO.
See Also: Toxicological Abbreviations Triethyl citrate (ICSC) Triethyl citrate (WHO Food Additives Series 14) TRIETHYL CITRATE (JECFA Evaluation)