Coriander Leaves | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Coriander leaves (Coriandrum sativum L.) are the fresh or dried green leaves of the coriander plant, a member of the Apiaceae family, widely used as a culinary herb, garnish, and flavouring across Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and Mediterranean cuisines. They impart a distinctive bright, citrus-like flavour and are consumed as a whole food rather than as a chemically isolated food additive.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Coriander leaves are broadly recognized as safe at typical culinary intakes, with no established Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) since they function as a conventional whole food rather than a chemical additive. Rare IgE-mediated allergic reactions may occur, particularly in individuals sensitized to other Apiaceae family members such as celery, carrot, or parsley (occupational and food allergy cross-reactivity). Very high supra-culinary doses have demonstrated uterotonic and abortifacient activity in animal models, suggesting that medicinal or supplement-level consumption during pregnancy should be approached with caution.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Coriander is a conventional food herb recognised as safe under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code; no specific additive standard or use limit applies.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Coriander leaves are a traditional food freely used across the EU. Under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings, flavouring preparations produced from traditional foods like coriander may be used without formal evaluation and approval provided they do not pose a safety risk to consumers. No E-number is assigned as coriander leaves are classified as a food, not a food additive.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Recognised as a permitted spice under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Chapter 2.9 — Salt, Spices, Condiments and Related Products. Coriandrum sativum L. is additionally listed as a permitted botanical ingredient for health supplements and nutraceuticals per FSSAI Health Supplements and Nutraceuticals Regulations.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is listed as a spice under 21 CFR 182.10, conferring GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status; also confirmed in FDA's Substances Added to Food (EAFUS) database. Permitted at Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) levels with no maximum use limit specified.

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — Animal studies and traditional medicine records indicate that very high, supra-culinary doses of Coriandrum sativum may exert uterotonic or abortifacient effects; normal culinary use is considered safe, but medicinal or concentrated supplement doses should be avoided during pregnancy.

Other — Individuals with documented IgE-mediated allergy to other Apiaceae family plants (celery, carrot, parsley, fennel, anise) may experience cross-reactive allergic reactions — ranging from oral allergy syndrome to anaphylaxis — upon ingestion of coriander leaves.

Ibs — Some individuals with IBS report symptom sensitivity to fresh herbs including coriander; dietary tolerance varies and patients following a low-FODMAP elimination protocol should monitor individual responses.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS): CORIANDER (CORIANDRUM SATIVUM L.). hfpappexternal.fda.gov
2FDA. 21 CFR Part 182, Subpart A, Section 182.10 — Spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings. ecfr.gov
3FSSAI. FSSAI Guidance Document: Food Safety Management System (FSMS) for Spice Processing, 2018. fssai.gov.in
4FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 — Chapter 2.9: Salt, Spices, Condiments and Related Products, 2011. fssai.gov.in
5EFSA. Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties, 2008. eur-lex.europa.eu

Independently researched5 citations