About
Chamomile is a flowering plant of the Asteraceae family, used extensively as a natural flavouring and aromatic ingredient in teas, beverages, confectionery, and baked goods. Its dried flowers and extracts impart a characteristic apple-like, herbaceous flavour and aroma, and it has a long history of use in both food and traditional medicine.
Safety summary
Chamomile is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA when used as a flavouring agent at customary food levels, with no formal Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) established. The primary safety concern is allergenic cross-reactivity in individuals sensitive to Asteraceae/Compositae family plants (e.g., ragweed, chrysanthemum, marigold), with rare reports of anaphylaxis. Use of chamomile in large or medicinal doses is not recommended during pregnancy due to potential uterotonic effects, and it may potentiate anticoagulant medications such as warfarin.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Chamomile is authorized as a natural flavouring source material (flavouring preparation) under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties. No specific E-number is assigned as it is classified as a flavouring preparation rather than a chemically defined food additive. Conditions of use are governed by Annex I of EC 1334/2008.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Chamomile is not explicitly enumerated as a standalone food additive in FSSAI's Food Products Standards and Food Additives Regulations 2011. It may be used as a flavouring ingredient or in health supplements/nutraceuticals under general provisions; specific health benefit claims require prior FSSAI approval under the Health Supplements and Nutraceuticals Regulations.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Listed in FDA Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) database as a flavouring/adjuvant (FL/ADJ) under 21 CFR 182.20 (GRAS for natural flavoring substances). Both Matricaria chamomilla L. (German/Hungarian) and Anthemis nobilis L. (Roman) forms are listed. FEMA GRAS 2272 (German), FEMA GRAS 2275 (Roman). Use limited to flavoring purposes at GMP levels.source |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1FDA. Chamomile flower, Hungarian (Matricaria chamomilla L.) — Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS). hfpappexternal.fda.gov
- 2FDA. Chamomile flower, Roman, extract (Anthemis nobilis L.) — Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS). hfpappexternal.fda.gov
- 3EFSA. Scientific Guidance on the data required for the risk assessment of flavourings to be used in or on foods, 2022. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4PubMed. Safety and efficacy of herbal medicines in obstetrics (Birth Defects Research, 2019), 2019. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5PubMed. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future (Molecular Medicine Reports, 2010), 2010. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
