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


    OCTANAL

    Synonyms                      Caprylic aldehyde; Aldehyde C-8

    Chemical name                 Octanal

    Empirical formula             C8H16O

    Structural Formula            CH3(CH2)6CHO

    Molecular weight              128.22

    Definition                    Octanal contains not less than 92 per
                                  cent. C8H16O.

    Description                   A colourless to light yellow liquid
                                  having a sharp fatty and fruity odour.

    Biological Data

    Biochemical aspects

         This aldehyde, is probably metabolized to caprylic acid
    (Williams, 1959).

    Acute toxicity

         No data available.

    Short-term studies

         Rat. In a 12-week feeding study on 15 males and 15 females,
    using mixed aldehydes, no adverse effect was noted at a level of 11.4
    mg/kg body-weight/ day (Oser, 1967).

    Long-term-studies

         None available.

    Comments

         The evaluation is based on the short-term study, and a probable
    knowledge of its metabolism. Further metabolic studies are needed.

    EVALUATION

    Estimate of acceptable daily intake for man

                                  mg/kg body-weight

         Conditional acceptance        0-0.1

    Further work required

         Biochemical studies in animals and man.

    REFERENCES

    Oser, B. L. (1967) Unpublished report

    Williams, R. T. (1959) Detoxication Mechanisms, Second Edition,
    Chapman & Hall, London
    

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Octanal (WHO Food Additives Series 14)
       OCTANAL (JECFA Evaluation)