About
What it is and where it shows up.
Paan extract is derived from the traditional South Asian preparation known as 'paan' or 'betel quid', which typically consists of betel leaf (Piper betle), areca nut (Areca catechu), and slaked lime, sometimes with added spices or tobacco. It is used as a flavouring or mouth-freshening agent in food and confectionery products.
Safety summary
The regulatory and scientific consensus.
Betel quid and areca nut — the primary constituents of paan — have been classified as Group 1 carcinogens (carcinogenic to humans) by IARC, with strong evidence linking their use to oral cancer, oral submucous fibrosis, and cancers of the pharynx and oesophagus. The FDA considers areca nut-containing products (including extracts) to be unsafe food additives and detains such imports. No acceptable daily intake (ADI) has been established because no safe level of use has been determined.
Regulatory landscape
What food-safety regulators have decided.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Banned | FDA Import Alert 23-15 mandates detention without physical examination of all food products containing areca (betel) nuts including powders, extracts, and other forms. Such products are considered unsafe food additives under Section 409 of the FD&C Act. Products are also known by names including 'paan', 'pan masala', 'supari', and 'betel quid'.source |
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Restricted | Paan extract / betel quid extract does not appear on the EU Union list of authorised food flavourings. Any new flavouring must undergo EFSA safety evaluation and EC authorisation before use under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008. No specific EFSA opinion on paan extract has been published; its use is therefore not authorised.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Restricted | FSSAI regulates pan masala and areca nut-based mouth fresheners under food category 15.2 (processed nuts) and spice-based mouth fresheners under 12.2.1. Several Indian states have independently banned pan masala. Paan extract as a food ingredient requires approval under FSS (Approval for Non-Specified Food and Food Ingredients) Regulations, 2017 if not explicitly listed.source |
Who should approach with care
Whose guidance would steer them away.
Pregnancy — FDA and IARC evidence on genotoxicity and carcinogenicity of areca nut components presents unacceptable risk during pregnancy, including potential reproductive toxicity concerns noted in FDA safety reviews.
Children — IARC and WHO documentation notes that in some parts of India almost one in three children and teenagers regularly or occasionally chew paan-related products, leading to oral disease even among children; these products cannot be considered safe for any age group.
Infants — No safe level of exposure has been established for areca nut/betel quid extracts; IARC Group 1 carcinogen status makes any exposure inappropriate for infants.
Lactation — Alkaloid constituents of areca nut (arecoline and related compounds) can transfer to breast milk; the FDA cites safety concerns for dietary exposure to these alkaloids with no established safe level.
Other — General adult population should avoid paan extract entirely due to its IARC Group 1 carcinogen classification; regular exposure is associated with oral submucous fibrosis, a premalignant condition, and a nearly 8-fold increased risk of oral cancer per meta-analysis evidence.
Research citations
The sources behind this verdict.
- 1FDA. Import Alert 23-15: Detention Without Physical Examination of Food Products Including Finished Dietary Supplements and Bulk Dietary Ingredients That Are, or That Contain, Areca (Betel) Nuts, 2025. accessdata.fda.gov
- 2PubMed. Areca Nut and Oral Cancer: Evidence from Studies Conducted in Humans, 2022. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3FSSAI. FSSAI clarifies pan masala and mouth freshener categorisation in FLRS, 2019. fssai.gov.in
- 4IARC. Betel-quid and Areca-nut Chewing and Some Areca-nut-derived Nitrosamines, 2004. publications.iarc.who.int
- 5WHO. IARC Monographs Programme finds betel-quid and areca-nut chewing carcinogenic to humans, 2003. who.int
Independently researched5 citations