Menthol | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Menthol is a naturally occurring cyclic terpene alcohol derived primarily from peppermint oil (Mentha piperita) or produced synthetically, responsible for the characteristic cool, minty sensation in food and beverages. It is used as a flavouring agent in confectionery, chewing gum, beverages, dairy products, and baked goods to impart a cooling and refreshing minty taste.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

JECFA has established an ADI of 0–4 mg/kg body weight per day for menthol and concluded there is no safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Menthol has no known genotoxic potential based on structural and experimental evaluations. High doses may cause gastrointestinal irritation, and caution is warranted in infants and young children due to the risk of respiratory distress if applied topically near the face, though dietary exposure from food use is well below thresholds of concern for the general adult population.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Authorised as a flavouring substance under Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008, entry 02.015, CAS 89-78-1; evaluated by JECFA; no individual E-number assigned as flavourings use FL-numbers rather than E-numbers in the EU.source
MHLW (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) (Japan)	Approved	Menthol-related flavouring substances evaluated by JFFMA using the JECFA procedure; structurally related substances classified as Cramer Class I with daily intakes well below the 1800 µg/person/day threshold of concern; approved for use as a flavouring agent.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Listed as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) as a flavouring agent under 21 CFR 182.20 (natural flavouring substances); FEMA GRAS No. 2665; technical effect: flavouring agent.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Infants — Menthol and menthol-containing products should not be applied near the face or airways of infants and young children due to the risk of respiratory distress and possible reflex apnoea; while this primarily pertains to topical use, regulatory guidance advises caution for all menthol exposures in this age group.

Children — Young children may be more sensitive to the physiological cooling effects of menthol and potentially higher relative dietary exposure; parents should moderate consumption of menthol-flavoured products in young children.

Ibs — Although enteric-coated peppermint oil (containing menthol) is used therapeutically for IBS, uncoated dietary menthol at higher doses may relax the lower oesophageal sphincter and worsen gastrointestinal symptoms in some IBS patients.

G6pd Deficiency — Menthol has been reported to potentially trigger haemolytic episodes in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency; those with this condition should exercise caution with significant menthol consumption.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1WHO. WHO/FAO JECFA: Menthol — Chemical and Technical Assessment (JECFA 86, TRS 1014). apps.who.int
2FDA. FDA Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) — Menthol. hfpappexternal.fda.gov
3PubMed. The JFFMA assessment of flavoring substances structurally related to menthol and uniquely used in Japan, 2014. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4EFSA. Scientific Opinion on Flavouring Group Evaluation 9, Revision 4 (FGE.09Rev4): Secondary alicyclic saturated and unsaturated alcohols, ketones and esters, 2012. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5other. Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on flavourings and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties (consolidated 2023), 2008. eur-lex.europa.eu

Independently researched5 citations