Flax Seeds | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Flax seeds (Linum usitatissimum) are small whole oilseeds exceptionally rich in omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), lignans, soluble dietary fiber, and plant protein. They are consumed whole, ground, or pressed into oil and are widely incorporated into breads, cereals, smoothies, and functional foods for their cardiovascular, digestive, and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Flax seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides (primarily linustatin and neolinustatin) that release hydrogen cyanide upon hydrolysis; however, at typical dietary intakes of up to approximately 15–20 g whole seeds per day the cyanide exposure for general adult consumers remains below the EFSA-established acute reference dose (ARfD) of 20 µg cyanide/kg body weight. The European Commission enacted binding maximum HCN limits of 150 mg/kg for retail-ready flaxseeds under Regulation (EU) 2022/1364, effective January 2023, to protect all consumer groups. Raw or unripe flaxseeds carry elevated cyanide risk and should not be consumed; higher doses may also cause gastrointestinal discomfort including bloating and diarrhea.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Restricted	Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1364 amends Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 and sets maximum HCN (from cyanogenic glycosides) limits: 150 mg/kg for flaxseeds placed on market for final consumers; 250 mg/kg for unprocessed flaxseeds (whole, crushed, ground, split, chopped) not sold directly to consumers. EFSA ARfD for cyanide is 20 µg/kg body weight (EFSA CONTAM opinion, 2019). Flaxseeds are otherwise fully legal as food.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Flaxseed is a permitted food ingredient in India and is commercially sold without restriction. FSSAI has listed flaxseed among ingredients for which new compositional standards are being formally developed under its standards-formulation agenda; no ban or restriction is in force.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Flax seeds are sold as conventional food and dietary supplement ingredients in the US without restriction. Flaxseed oil is the subject of FDA GRAS notices (e.g., GRN No. 914 for ALA diacylglycerol oil derived from flaxseed). No FDA-mandated maximum level exists for whole flaxseeds; subject to general food safety provisions under 21 CFR.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — NCCIH states that safety of flaxseed and flaxseed oil during pregnancy is not well established, and flaxseed's phytoestrogenic lignans may exert hormonal effects.

Lactation — Adequate safety data on flaxseed supplementation during breastfeeding are lacking; NCCIH advises caution for nursing individuals.

Infants — Infants' lower body weight makes exceeding the EFSA cyanide ARfD (20 µg/kg bw) much easier; flaxseeds are not recommended in infant diets.

Children — EFSA data show that at the 95th percentile of consumption, children and adolescents can exceed the cyanide ARfD from cyanogenic glycoside-containing foods including linseed; portion sizes should be strictly limited.

Thyroid Disease — Flaxseed lignans are phytoestrogenic and may interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism and thyroid medication absorption; individuals with thyroid disease should limit intake.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Flaxseed in Diet: A Comprehensive Look at Pros and Cons. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2other. Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil: Usefulness and Safety. nccih.nih.gov
3other. Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1364 of 4 August 2022 amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels of cyanogenic glycosides in certain foods, 2022. eur-lex.europa.eu
4EFSA. Evaluation of the health risks related to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides in foods other than raw apricot kernels, 2019. efsa.europa.eu
5PubMed. Evaluation of the health risks related to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides in foods other than raw apricot kernels, 2019. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched5 citations