Baby Safety / Compounds / Fumonisin B1

Is Fumonisin B1 safe for babies and kids?

High risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Fumonisin B1 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 fumonisin b1?

The IUPAC name is (2R)-2-[2-[(5R,6R,7S,9S,11R,16R,18S,19S)-19-amino-6-[(3R)-3,4-dicarboxybutanoyl]oxy-11,16,18-trihydroxy-5,9-dimethylicosan-7-yl]oxy-2-oxoethyl]butanedioic acid.

Also known as: (2R)-2-[2-[(5R,6R,7S,9S,11R,16R,18S,19S)-19-amino-6-[(3R)-3,4-dicarboxybutanoyl]oxy-11,16,18-trihydroxy-5,9-dimethylicosan-7-yl]oxy-2-oxoethyl]butanedioic acid, Macrofusine, fumonisin-B1, fumonisin B(1).

IUPAC name
(2R)-2-[2-[(5R,6R,7S,9S,11R,16R,18S,19S)-19-amino-6-[(3R)-3,4-dicarboxybutanoyl]oxy-11,16,18-trihydroxy-5,9-dimethylicosan-7-yl]oxy-2-oxoethyl]butanedioic acid
CAS number
116355-83-0
Molecular formula
C34H59NO15
Molecular weight
721.8 g/mol
SMILES
CCCCC(C)C(C(CC(C)CC(CCCCC(CC(C(C)N)O)O)O)OC(=O)CC(CC(=O)O)C(=O)O)OC(=O)CC(CC(=O)O)C(=O)O
PubChem CID
2733487

Risk for babies

High risk

Infants are more vulnerable to Fumonisin B1 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 Fumonisin B1, 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

3 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Fumonisin B1. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
IARC2002Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans)IARC Monograph 82 (2002). Sufficient evidence in experimental animals (hepatocellular carcinoma in rats; renal tubular carcinoma in mice); limited evidence in humans. Epidemiologically associated with elevated esophageal cancer rates in corn-consuming populations in South Africa (Transkei region), China, and parts of Latin America. Mechanism: potent inhibitor of ceramide synthase → disrupts sphingolipid biosynthesis → lipid-mediated carcinogenesis.
EPA CTX / IARC—Group 2B - Possibly carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / CalEPA—Known human carcinogen

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 fumonisin b1

  • 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 Fumonisin B1:

  • 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 fumonisin b1 safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to Fumonisin B1 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 fumonisin b1?

Fumonisin B1 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 fumonisin b1?

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.

Why do regulators disagree about fumonisin b1?

Fumonisin B1 has been classified by 3 agencies including IARC, EPA CTX / IARC, EPA CTX / CalEPA, with differing conclusions. 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. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Fumonisin B1 in the baby app

Look up products containing fumonisin b1, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)
  1. IARC Monographs Volume 82: Fumonisin B1 (2002) — regulatory
  2. US FDA Guidance for Industry: Fumonisin Levels in Human Food and Animal Feed (2001) — regulatory
  3. EFSA Panel on Contaminants: Risks to Human and Animal Health from Fumonisins in Food and Feed (2018) — 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 →