Baby Safety / Compounds / 5-Methylfurfural

Is 5-Methylfurfural safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of 5-Methylfurfural, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

What is 5-methylfurfural?

The IUPAC name is 5-methylfuran-2-carbaldehyde.

Also known as: 5-methylfuran-2-carbaldehyde, 5-Methyl-2-furaldehyde, 5-Methyl-2-furfural, 5-Methyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde.

IUPAC name
5-methylfuran-2-carbaldehyde
CAS number
620-02-0
Molecular formula
C6H6O2
Molecular weight
110.11 g/mol
SMILES
CC1=CC=C(O1)C=O
PubChem CID
12097

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of 5-Methylfurfural, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of 5-Methylfurfural, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

2 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified 5-Methylfurfural. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
FDA——
EFSA——

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter 5-methylfurfural

  • caramel flavoring
  • coffee flavoring

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to 5-Methylfurfural:

  • Furfural (from oat hulls / corn cobs)
    Trade-offs: Different flavor profile (more almond-like). Also a Maillard product.
    Relative cost: 0.5×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain 5-methylfurfural?

5-Methylfurfural appears in: caramel flavoring; coffee flavoring.

See 5-Methylfurfural in the baby app

Look up products containing 5-methylfurfural, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. ATSDR Toxicological Profile — CAS 620-02-0 — reference

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →