INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME ON CHEMICAL SAFETY

    WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION



    TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOME
    FOOD COLOURS, EMULSIFIERS, STABILIZERS,
    ANTI-CAKING AGENTS AND CERTAIN
    OTHER SUBSTANCES



    FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series 
    No. 46A WHO/FOOD ADD/70.36




    The content of this document is the result of the deliberations of the
    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives which met in Rome,
    27 May - 4 June 19691





    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

    World Health Organization



                   
    1 Thirteenth report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food
    Additives, FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, in press;
    Wld Hlth Org. techn.  Rep. Ser., in press.


    HYDROXYLATED LECITHIN

    Biological Data

    Biochemical aspects

    Hydroxylated lecithin appears to increase gluten extensibility and
    water dispersibility. No detailed metabolic studies on thin substance
    are available, which itself is not a normal constituent of the body,
    although lecithin itself is an essential constituent of all cells of
    the human body.

    Acute toxicity

    No studies are available.

    Short-term studies

    Rat. Two groups of six male and six female rats were fed a diet
    containing 90 per cent. bread made from flour containing 0 or five per
    cent. hydroxylated lecithin for 12 weeks. No adverse effects were
    noted on body-weight gain, food intake, appearance and behaviour of
    animals and haematology. Gross autopsy was normal (Oser, 1952).

    Long-term studies

    None are available.

    Comments

    Phosphatides prepared from different sources may cause a variety of
    effects and it is therefore unwise to assume that modified lecithin
    will behave similarly in all respects to a given unmodified lecithin.
    Lecithins are susceptible to oxidation. Hydroxylated lecithin has not
    been adequately studied from the toxicological point of view and there
    are no satisfactory data available on which an evaluation could be
    based.

    EVALUATION

    Not possible on the data available.

    REFERENCES

    Oser, B. L. (1952) Unpublished report by Food Research Labs, dated 16
    May 1952
    

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Hydroxylated lecithin (WHO Food Additives Series 5)
       HYDROXYLATED LECITHIN (JECFA Evaluation)