Baby Safety / Compounds / Patulin

Is Patulin safe for babies and kids?

Elevated risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Patulin 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 patulin?

The IUPAC name is 4-hydroxy-4,6-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]pyran-2-one.

Also known as: 4-hydroxy-4,6-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]pyran-2-one, Clavacin, Clavatin, Expansine.

IUPAC name
4-hydroxy-4,6-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]pyran-2-one
CAS number
149-29-1
Molecular formula
C7H6O4
Molecular weight
154.12 g/mol
SMILES
C1C=C2C(=CC(=O)O2)C(O1)O
PubChem CID
4696

Risk for babies

Elevated risk

Infants are more vulnerable to Patulin 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

High risk

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Patulin, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

Known reproductive toxicant (GHS H360) or confirmed endocrine disruptor. Placental transfer is presumed. Fetal exposure during critical developmental windows may cause structural malformations, growth restriction, or functional deficits.

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 Patulin. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / IARC—Group 3 - Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 5 positive / 3 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 5 positive / 3 negative reports)

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 patulin

  • 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 Patulin:

  • 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 patulin safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to Patulin 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 patulin?

Patulin 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 patulin?

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 patulin?

Patulin has been classified by 3 agencies including EPA CTX / IARC, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, 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 Patulin in the baby app

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

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)
  1. EFSA Panel on Contaminants: Risks to Human Health from Patulin in Food (Scientific Opinion) (2018) — regulatory
  2. WHO JECFA Safety Evaluation of Certain Contaminants in Food: Patulin (1995) — regulatory
  3. Codex Alimentarius Commission: Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Patulin Contamination in Apple Juice (2003) — 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 →