Carum Carvi Fruit Oil
Caraway oil is FEMA GRAS and authorized as a flavoring; constituents (carvone, limonene) are themselves listed flavoring substances. EFSA's 2024 FEEDAP opinion identified perillaldehyde (~0.25% in caraway oil) as a genotoxicity-of-interest constituent and assigned use-level limits in animal feed; in human food at typical flavoring exposures, no concern is identified.
What it is
Essential oil distilled from caraway (Carum carvi) seeds; main constituents carvone and limonene.
Flavoring in baked goods, cheeses, liquors, and savory dishes.
Why it's flagged
- Perillaldehyde trace constituent (potential genotoxicity at high exposure)
- Not for ingestion of pure oil at high doses
What regulators actually say
"Caraway seed oil contains perillaldehyde (average: 0.25%), a substance for which EFSA identified a concern for genotoxicity. However, the use of caraway oil in animal feed under the proposed conditions is safe for the consumer and the environment."
Regulatory status
United States — FDA
GRAS as essential oil flavoring (21 CFR 182.20).
European Union — EFSA
Authorized flavoring; FEEDAP feed limits set in 2024.
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