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Oser, B. L. (1967) Unpublished report