Baby Safety / Compounds / Beauvericin

Is Beauvericin safe for babies and kids?

Moderate risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Beauvericin than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

What is beauvericin?

The IUPAC name is (3S,6R,9S,12R,15S,18R)-3,9,15-tribenzyl-4,10,16-trimethyl-6,12,18-tri(propan-2-yl)-1,7,13-trioxa-4,10,16-triazacyclooctadecane-2,5,8,11,14,17-hexone.

Also known as: (3S,6R,9S,12R,15S,18R)-3,9,15-tribenzyl-4,10,16-trimethyl-6,12,18-tri(propan-2-yl)-1,7,13-trioxa-4,10,16-triazacyclooctadecane-2,5,8,11,14,17-hexone, 26S048LS2R, RefChem:116825, DTXCID901031255.

IUPAC name
(3S,6R,9S,12R,15S,18R)-3,9,15-tribenzyl-4,10,16-trimethyl-6,12,18-tri(propan-2-yl)-1,7,13-trioxa-4,10,16-triazacyclooctadecane-2,5,8,11,14,17-hexone
CAS number
26048-05-5
Molecular formula
C45H57N3O9
Molecular weight
783.9 g/mol
SMILES
CC(C)C1C(=O)N(C(C(=O)OC(C(=O)N(C(C(=O)OC(C(=O)N(C(C(=O)O1)CC2=CC=CC=C2)C)C(C)C)CC3=CC=CC=C3)C)C(C)C)CC4=CC=CC=C4)C
PubChem CID
3007984

Risk for babies

Moderate risk

Infants are more vulnerable to Beauvericin than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

Neonates and infants up to 12 months have incomplete blood-brain barrier development, immature Phase I/II metabolic enzymes (particularly CYP3A4, UGT1A1), and higher gastrointestinal permeability. Equivalent doses produce higher internal concentrations and longer residence times.

What to do: Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Beauvericin, 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

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Beauvericin.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EFSA (scientific opinion on enniatins and beauvericin as undesirable substances in animal feed and food, 2014)2014no carcinogenicity classification; cyclic depsipeptide ionophore from Beauveria bassiana and Fusarium species; frequently detected co-contaminant with enniatins in cereals; EFSA concluded insufficient data for TDI; more cytotoxic than enniatin B in vitro; apoptosis inducer; P-glycoprotein inhibitor; insecticidal entomopathogen secondary metabolite; not classified for carcinogenicity by IARC, NTP, US EPA, or WHO

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 beauvericin

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Beauvericin:

  • Prevention (storage and agricultural practices)
    Trade-offs: Zero point-of-use emissions; shifts emissions to power generation (grid-dependent); lower operating cost; higher capital cost; infrastructure requirements (charging, grid capacity); rapidly improving economics.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is beauvericin safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to Beauvericin than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

What products contain beauvericin?

Beauvericin appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

What should I do if my child is exposed to beauvericin?

Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

See Beauvericin in the baby app

Look up products containing beauvericin, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

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Sources (1)
  1. EFSA Scientific Opinion Enniatins Beauvericin Animal Feed Food 2014: Beauvericin Cyclic Depsipeptide Ionophore; Sub-μM IC50 Cytotoxic; P-gp Inhibitor; Apoptosis Intrinsic Extrinsic Pathways; Fusarium Beauveria Source; No TDI; Not IARC Classified (2014) — regulatory

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 →