Baby Safety / Compounds / Gibberellic acid (GA3)

Is Gibberellic acid (GA3) safe for babies and kids?

Moderate risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Gibberellic acid (GA3) 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 gibberellic acid (ga3)?

The IUPAC name is (1R,2R,5S,8S,9S,10R,11S,12S)-5,12-dihydroxy-11-methyl-6-methylidene-2-prop-1-en-2-yl-16-oxapentacyclo[9.3.2.1^{5,8}.0^{1,10}.0^{2,8}]heptadecane-7,15-dione.

Also known as: GA3, Gibberellin A3, Gibberellic acid A3, ProGibb.

IUPAC name
(1R,2R,5S,8S,9S,10R,11S,12S)-5,12-dihydroxy-11-methyl-6-methylidene-2-prop-1-en-2-yl-16-oxapentacyclo[9.3.2.1^{5,8}.0^{1,10}.0^{2,8}]heptadecane-7,15-dione
CAS number
77-06-5
Molecular formula
C19H22O6
Molecular weight
346.37 g/mol
SMILES
CC1C(=O)O[C@@]23CC[C@H](C(=C)[C@H]2[C@@]1(CC3=O)O)C(=C)CC4=CC(=O)O4
PubChem CID
6466

Risk for babies

Moderate risk

Infants are more vulnerable to Gibberellic acid (GA3) 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 Gibberellic acid (GA3), 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 Gibberellic acid (GA3). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA—Registered pesticide (plant growth regulator). Tolerance exemption (40 CFR 180.1098) — residues exempt from tolerance on all food crops. Reduced risk pesticide.
EU—Approved active substance (Reg. EC 1107/2009). No MRLs required — exempt.
WHO/JMPR—ADI not necessary (1986 evaluation)

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 gibberellic acid (ga3)

  • Agriculture — seedless grape production (berry sizing), citrus (fruit set improvement), cherry (stem elongation, splitting reduction), malting barley (germination acceleration)
  • Horticulture — ornamental plants (stem elongation), seed germination enhancement
  • Food Residues — grapes/raisins, citrus fruits, cherries

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Gibberellic acid (GA3):

  • No alternative needed — GA3 is among the safest crop chemicals
    Trade-offs: Other gibberellins (GA4, GA7) are used for specific applications (e.g., GA4+7 for apple shape). All share extremely low mammalian toxicity.

Frequently asked questions

Is gibberellic acid (ga3) safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to Gibberellic acid (GA3) 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 gibberellic acid (ga3)?

Gibberellic acid (GA3) appears in: seedless grape production (berry sizing) (agriculture); citrus (fruit set improvement) (agriculture); ornamental plants (stem elongation) (horticulture); seed germination enhancement (horticulture); grapes/raisins (food residues).

What should I do if my child is exposed to gibberellic acid (ga3)?

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 gibberellic acid (ga3)?

Gibberellic acid (GA3) has been classified by 3 agencies including EPA, EU, WHO/JMPR, 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 Gibberellic acid (GA3) in the baby app

Look up products containing gibberellic acid (ga3), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. — expert_curation

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 →