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


    ETHYL LAURATE

    Chemical name                 Ethyl dodecanoate

    Empirical formula             C14H28O2

    Structural formula            CH3(CH2)10COOC2H5

    Molecular weight              228.38

    Definition                    Ethyl laurate contains not less than 98
                                  per cent. C14H28O2.

    Description                   Ethyl laurate is a colourless, oily
                                  liquid having a light fruity-floral
                                  odour.

    Biological Data

    Biochemical aspects

         This ester is probably hydrolysed into ethyl alcohol and lauric
    acid which then undergo normal metabolism (Fassett, 1963).

    Acute toxicity

         None available.

    Short-term studies

         Rat. A 12-week feeding study on 15 males and 15 females using
    mixed esters revealed no adverse effect at 3.7 mg/kg body-weight/day
    (Oser, 1967).

    Long-term studies

         None available.

    Comments

         This ester is probably metabolized in a known way after
    hydrolysis, in a manner analogous to ethyl acetate. Assessment is
    based on this knowledge despite the inadequacy of other toxicity data.
    Further biochemical studies are needed.

    EVALUATION

    Estimate of acceptable daily intake for man

                                       mg/kg body-weight

    Conditional acceptance                   0-1

    Further studies required

         Biochemical and metabolic studies in animals and man.

    REFERENCES

    Fassett, D. W. (1963) In: Patty, F. A., Industrial Hygiene and
    Toxicology, Second Edition, Interscience, New York & London

    Oser, B. L. (1967) Unpublished report
    

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations