Dill Seeds | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Dill seeds are the dried, ripe fruits of Anethum graveolens L., an annual herb of the Apiaceae (parsley) family, used worldwide as a spice and flavouring in foods such as pickles, salads, sauces, and soups. The seeds contain volatile compounds — predominantly carvone — along with flavonoids, coumarins, and phenolic acids that contribute both their characteristic aroma and bioactive properties.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Dill seeds are broadly recognised as safe at culinary doses for the general adult population, with no established ADI or significant regulatory restriction. High-dose supplemental extracts have shown reproductive effects (reduced fertility) in animal studies, and caution is warranted for pregnant women due to potential uterotonic activity demonstrated in clinical research. No IARC classification exists; the ingredient is not banned in any major jurisdiction.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Dill seeds are permitted as a food flavouring ingredient in the EU. Dill seed oil/extract is covered under EU flavouring regulation. No specific ADI established for the whole seed at culinary intake levels.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Dill seeds (Shatapushpa/Suwa) are recognised as a traditional spice and are used in more than 56 Ayurvedic preparations regulated under FSSAI; no specific maximum daily intake set for culinary use.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Dill seeds and weed are identified by FDA as produce commodities rarely consumed raw and are thus exempt from certain FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — Systematic review evidence shows dill seeds can significantly reduce the duration of all stages of labor (uterotonic effect), and animal studies demonstrate high-dose extracts induce infertility, making supplemental or medicinal doses potentially unsafe during pregnancy.

Infants — Dill is a member of the Apiaceae family; concentrated extracts and dill water (gripe water) preparations should be used cautiously in infants due to the lack of robust paediatric safety data and potential sensitivity to volatile oil components.

Other — Individuals taking anticoagulant medications (e.g. warfarin) should consult a doctor, as dill seeds contain coumarins and furocoumarins that may have additive anticoagulant effects at supplemental doses.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Anti-Inflammation and Protective Effects of Anethum graveolens L. (Dill Seeds) on Esophageal Mucosa Damages in Reflux Esophagitis-Induced Rats, 2021. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2PubMed. The effects of Anethum graveolens (dill) supplementation on lipid profile and glycemic control: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Effect of dill (Anethum Graveolens Linn) seed on the duration of labor: A systematic review, 2020. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4FDA. CPG Sec 525.750 Spices – Definitions, 2015. fda.gov
5PubMed. Effects of Anethum graveolens L. (dill) on Oocyte and Fertility of Adult Female Rats, 2015. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6PubMed. Anethum graveolens: An Indian traditional medicinal herb and spice, 2012. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched6 citations