Baby Safety / Compounds / Furaneol

Is Furaneol 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 Furaneol, 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 furaneol?

The IUPAC name is 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone.

Also known as: 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one, 4-Hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, 4-Hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone.

IUPAC name
2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone
CAS number
3658-77-3
Molecular formula
C6H8O3
Molecular weight
128.13 g/mol
SMILES
CC1C(=O)C(=C(O1)C)O
PubChem CID
19309

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Furaneol, 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 Furaneol, 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 Furaneol. 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 furaneol

  • strawberry flavoring
  • caramel flavoring
  • fruit flavoring

Safer alternatives

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

  • Natural furaneol (from strawberry or pineapple extraction)
    Trade-offs: Supply-limited. 10-50× cost. Identical molecule — difference is origin, not toxicology.
    Relative cost: 10-50× synthetic

Frequently asked questions

What products contain furaneol?

Furaneol appears in: strawberry flavoring; caramel flavoring; fruit flavoring.

See Furaneol in the baby app

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

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. ATSDR Toxicological Profile — CAS 3658-77-3 — 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 →