Baby Safety / Compounds / gamma-Undecalactone

Is gamma-Undecalactone 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 gamma-Undecalactone, 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 gamma-undecalactone?

The IUPAC name is oxolan-2-one, 5-pentyl-.

Also known as: oxolan-2-one, 5-pentyl-, 2(3H)-Furanone, 5-heptyldihydro-, Undecan-4-olide, 5-heptyloxolan-2-one.

IUPAC name
oxolan-2-one, 5-pentyl-
CAS number
104-67-6
Molecular formula
C11H20O2
Molecular weight
180.28 g/mol
SMILES
CCCCCCCC1CCC(=O)O1
PubChem CID
7714

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of gamma-Undecalactone, 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 gamma-Undecalactone, 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 gamma-Undecalactone. 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 gamma-undecalactone

  • peach flavoring
  • fruit flavoring
  • desserts

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to gamma-Undecalactone:

  • gamma-Decalactone (natural, from castor oil)
    Trade-offs: Slightly different flavor profile (more peach, less coconut). Well-characterized GRAS status.
    Relative cost: 1.5×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain gamma-undecalactone?

gamma-Undecalactone appears in: peach flavoring; fruit flavoring; desserts.

See gamma-Undecalactone in the baby app

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

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. ATSDR Toxicological Profile — CAS 104-67-6 — 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 →