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 NONANOATE
Synonym Ethyl pelargonate
Chemical name Ethyl nonanoate
Empirical formula C11H22O2
Structural formula CH3(CH2)7COOC2H5
Molecular weight 186.30
Definition Ethyl nonanoate contains not less than 98 per
cent. C11H22O2.
Description A clear, colourless liquid having a fruity,
fat-like odour suggestive of cognac.
Biological data
Biochemical aspects
No data available.
Acute toxicity
Animal Route LD50 References
(mg/kg
body-weight)
Rat oral >43 000 Jenner et al., 1964
Guinea-pig oral 24 190 Jenner et al., 1964
Short-term studies
Rat. A group of 5 male and 5 female rats were fed for 16 weeks
on a diet containing 1 per cent. of ester with a control group of 10
male and 10 female rats. No adverse effects were noted on body-weight
gain, food consumption, general appearance, organ weight and
histological examination of major organs (Hagan et al., 1967).
Long-term studies
None Available.
Comments
The short-term study is used as a basis for evaluation despite
absence of metabolic information. Biochemical and metabolic studies
are needed.
EVALUATION
Level causing no toxic effect
Rat. 1 per cent. (= 10 000 ppm) in the diet, equivalent to 500
mg/kg body-weight/day.
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
Hagan, E. C., Hansen, W. H., Fitzhugh, O. G., Jenner, P. M., Jones, W.
I., Taylor, J M., Long, E. L., Nelson, A. A. & Brouwer, J. B. (1967)
Fd Cosmet. Toxicol., 5(2), 141
Jenner, P. M., Hagan, E.C., Taylor, J. M., Cook, E. L. & Fitzhugh, O.
G. (1964) Fd Cosmet. Toxicol., 2, 327