About
Mace is the dried, lacy red aril (outer seed covering) of the nutmeg tree Myristica fragrans Houtt., closely related to nutmeg but yielding a distinct, warmer flavour profile. It is widely used as a culinary spice, flavouring agent in processed foods, beverages, and sauces, and has a long history in Ayurvedic and Unani traditional medicine.
Safety summary
Mace and its essential oils are GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the US FDA at culinary doses; its key bioactive compound, myristicin, can cause psychoactive and anticholinergic toxicity at high doses (e.g., a spoonful or more), with symptoms including serotonin toxicity, hallucinations, and in rare cases reversible coma. Pregnant and breastfeeding individuals, children, and those with neurological conditions should avoid consuming mace in amounts exceeding culinary use, as high-dose anticholinergic effects may reduce lactation and pose CNS risks.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Mace (Myristica fragrans aril) is permitted as a natural spice and flavouring source in the EU under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings and the EU General Food Law (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002). No E-number is assigned as mace is used as a whole/ground spice rather than an isolated additive. No specific ADI has been established by EFSA.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Mace is recognised as a permitted spice under Chapter 2.9 (Salt, Spices, Condiments and Related Products) of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. The product must have a characteristic aromatic flavour, be free from mould, living and dead insects, insect fragments, and rodent contamination, and be free from added colouring matter.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Mace and mace oil are listed as GRAS spices/natural flavourings under 21 CFR 182.10 and 21 CFR 182.20. No specific maximum daily intake or ADI has been established. There are currently no FDA regulations restricting the level of mace powder, oil, or oleoresins allowable in food products.source |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1PubMed. Nutmeg and mace, the psychotropic spices from Myristica fragrans. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 2other. NTP Technical Report: Toxicity Studies of Myristicin (CASRN 607-91-0) Administered by Gavage to F344/NTac Rats and B6C3F1/N Mice. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3PubMed. Mace Poisoning: Accidental Toxic Ingestion in a Child Leading to a Reversible Coma, 2025. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4PubMed. Efficacy of mace (Arils of Myristica fragrans Houtt) plus pelvic floor muscle training on symptoms in mixed urinary incontinence: a randomized placebo-controlled trial, 2018. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5FSSAI. FSSAI Guidance Document: Food Safety Management System (FSMS) for Spice Processing, 2018. fssai.gov.in
- 6PubMed. Nutmeg, 2018. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
