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Oser, B. L. (1967) Unpublished report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