About
What it is and where it shows up.
Lemon (Citrus limon) is a Mediterranean citrus fruit of the Rutaceae family, widely consumed fresh, as juice, zest, or extracted essential oil for its characteristic sour flavour and aroma. It is valued in the food industry and in traditional medicine as a rich source of vitamin C, citric acid, flavonoids, dietary fibre, and carotenoids.
Safety summary
The regulatory and scientific consensus.
Lemon has an extensive history of safe human consumption and lemon juice was included on the FDA's original GRAS substance list; no formal ADI has been established and it is not listed by IARC as a carcinogen. Regular consumption is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and kidney stones due to its high content of antioxidant bioactives. However, the high citric acid content may aggravate acid reflux symptoms and erode dental enamel with excessive or undiluted use.
Regulatory landscape
What food-safety regulators have decided.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Lemon extract from Citrus limon is authorised as a feed additive under EU Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 (2b natural products – botanically defined). Flavouring preparations produced from lemon may be used in food under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 without specific evaluation provided they pose no scientifically evidenced safety risk to consumers. Note: lemon essential oil was separately not approved as a basic plant protection substance under EU Implementing Regulation 2023/200, but this ruling is specific to pesticide/crop-protection use and does not restrict its use as a food flavouring.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Citrus limon (L.) Burm. is explicitly listed under FSSAI Chapter 2.3 Fruit & Vegetable Product Standards as a recognised fruit for use in juices, pulps, and processed fruit products. No maximum intake restriction is imposed.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Lemon juice was included in FDA's original partial GRAS list submitted during congressional hearings leading to the Food Additives Amendment. Lemon oil (natural flavoring) is also listed as GRAS under 21 CFR 182.20. No maximum daily intake has been set for the whole fruit or juice as a conventional food.source |
Who should approach with care
Whose guidance would steer them away.
Ibs — The high citric acid content of lemon may aggravate gastrointestinal symptoms such as heartburn, acid reflux, and intestinal irritation in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Ibd — Lemon's high acidity may irritate inflamed gastrointestinal mucosa and worsen symptoms in individuals with active inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
Kidney Disease — While lemon's citrate content may help prevent calcium oxalate kidney stones, individuals with chronic kidney disease should consult a doctor as lemon's potassium content and its effects on urinary pH may be contraindicated in certain renal conditions.
Infants — Lemon juice is not recommended for infants under 12 months as its high acidity may cause digestive discomfort, diaper rash, and is inappropriate for immature digestive systems; introduction should be gradual after solid foods are established.
Other — Individuals on certain medications (e.g., some calcium channel blockers, statins, or immunosuppressants) should exercise caution, as citrus-derived furanocoumarins in lemon may interact with hepatic CYP3A4 drug-metabolising enzymes, though this effect is less pronounced than with grapefruit.
Research citations
The sources behind this verdict.
- 1FDA. Legal Aspects of the Food Additive Approval Process – Enhancing the Regulatory Decision-Making Approval Process for Direct Food Ingredient Technologies (NCBI Bookshelf NBK224037). ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 2PubMed. Functional Ingredients and Additives from Lemon by-Products and Their Applications in Food Preservation: A Review, 2023. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3EFSA. Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an aqueous extract of Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck (lemon extract) for use in all animal species (Nor-Feed SAS), 2021. efsa.europa.eu
- 4PubMed. Citrus limon (Lemon) Phenomenon—A Review of the Chemistry, Pharmacological Properties, Applications in the Modern Pharmaceutical, Food, and Cosmetics Industries, and Biotechnological Studies, 2020. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5PubMed. Natural bioactive compounds of Citrus limon for food and health, 2009. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Independently researched5 citations