Parsley | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a bright-green biennial herb of the Apiaceae family, widely cultivated and used fresh or dried as a culinary herb, garnish, and natural flavouring ingredient. It is valued for its fresh flavour, high vitamin K and vitamin C content, and antioxidant properties.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Parsley is broadly considered safe at culinary (dietary) levels; no Acceptable Daily Intake has been established because it is treated as a food rather than a synthetic additive. High-dose supplemental or concentrated extract use raises concern due to apiole content, which has documented uterotonic and abortifacient effects, and its very high vitamin K content can antagonise vitamin K-dependent anticoagulants such as warfarin. The oxalate content presents a risk for individuals predisposed to calcium-oxalate kidney stones, and cross-reactive allergic reactions with other Apiaceae family members (celery, carrot, fennel) have been reported.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Parsley is accepted as a spice and herb under the FSANZ Food Standards Code with no prescribed restriction or maximum use level for culinary applications.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Parsley and its preparations are approved as food and as flavouring source materials under Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 on flavourings used in and on foods. No E number is assigned as parsley is a natural herb and food ingredient, not a classified food additive.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Parsley is recognised as a permitted spice and herb under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. No specific maximum use level is prescribed for culinary use.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Parsley is explicitly listed as GRAS under 21 CFR 182.10 (Spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings). Also assigned FEMA GRAS No. 2836. No maximum use level prescribed; use at GMP levels.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — Concentrated parsley supplements and extracts contain apiole, which has documented uterotonic and abortifacient properties at high doses; while culinary amounts are generally considered safe, supplemental or medicinal doses should be avoided during pregnancy.

Kidney Disease — Parsley has a high oxalate content, which can exacerbate calcium oxalate kidney stone formation in individuals with pre-existing kidney disease or a personal history of oxalate stones.

Other — Parsley is exceptionally high in vitamin K, which can antagonise the anticoagulant effect of warfarin and other vitamin K-dependent blood thinners; patients on anticoagulant therapy should maintain consistent intake and consult their physician (classify as 'other': anticoagulant medication users).

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 182.10 – Spices and Other Natural Seasonings and Flavorings. ecfr.gov
2PubMed. Dietary oxalate and kidney stone formation. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3WHO. JECFA – Safety Evaluation of Flavouring Agents Derived from Plant Sources Including Petroselinum crispum. who.int
4EFSA. Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of a tincture derived from the fruit of Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss (parsley tincture) for use in all animal species (FEFANA asbl), 2023. efsa.europa.eu
5PubMed. Parsley: A Review of Ethnopharmacology, Phytochemistry and Biological Activities, 2016. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched5 citations