Title: | "p-Cymene, a natural antioxidant, in Canadian total diet foods: occurrence and dietary exposures" |
Author(s): | Cao XL; Sparling M; Dabeka R; |
Address: | "Food Research Division, Bureau of Chemical Safety, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1097-0010 (Electronic) 0022-5142 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "BACKGROUND: There is a lack of information on the presence of volatile organic compounds including p-cymene in foods for dietary exposure assessment. p-Cymene is a monoterpene found in many plant species, which has been used as a flavouring agent in foods and also exhibits antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. While the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has no safety concerns at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring, the current study examines p-cymene levels in foods in general, not just from possible uses as a flavouring, as there could still be a potential health concern if there were high levels of exposure. RESULTS: 159 food composite samples from the 2014 Canadian Total Diet Study were analysed for p-cymene using a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method after headspace solid-phase microextraction. Concentrations of p-cymene in the composite samples of most food types were generally low, with a maximum level of 73.5 mug g(-1) , detected in the composite sample of herbs and spices. Dietary exposures to p-cymene were estimated for different age groups of Canadian populations. CONCLUSIONS: Although p-cymene was detected in various foods, estimated dietary exposures to p-cymene for different age groups are well below the human intake threshold of toxicological concern established by JECFA of 1800 mug per person per day for structural class I flavours, which includes p-cymene. (c) 2019 Society of Chemical Industry" |
Keywords: | "Adolescent Adult Aged Animals Antioxidants/*analysis/metabolism Canada Child Child, Preschool Cymenes Dietary Exposure/*analysis Edible Grain/chemistry/metabolism Fast Foods/analysis Female Flavoring Agents/analysis/metabolism Fruit/chemistry/metabolism G;" |
Notes: | "MedlineCao, Xu-Liang Sparling, Melissa Dabeka, Robert eng England 2019/06/18 J Sci Food Agric. 2019 Sep; 99(12):5606-5609. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.9854. Epub 2019 Jul 2" |