Parsley Leaf Powder

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Parsley leaf powder is the dried and ground form of Petroselinum crispum, a culinary herb of Mediterranean origin widely used as a seasoning, garnish, and flavouring agent in foods globally. It contains coumarins, furanocoumarins, flavonoids (apigenin, kaempferol, quercetin), ascorbic acid, carotenoids, and volatile oils including apiole.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

At normal culinary doses, parsley leaf powder is safe for the general adult population and carries no formal ADI restriction; no IARC carcinogenicity classification applies to the leaf powder. High-dose supplemental extracts (≥1000 mg/kg in animal studies) have shown hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic potential, but these doses far exceed typical food use. Parsley contains vitamin K and furanocoumarins which may interact with anticoagulant medications such as warfarin; it also has mild diuretic and uterotonic properties at elevated supplemental doses.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) and its preparations are recognised in the EU as traditional food flavourings. EFSA reviewed parsley tincture (fruit-derived) as a feed additive flavouring under Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003; no safety concern for consumer at proposed use levels. No E-number assigned for leaf powder as it is used as a herb/spice, not a chemical food additive.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Parsley is permissible as a spice and condiment under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations. Dried herb/spice powders are regulated under Chapter 2.9 (Salt, Spices, Condiments and Related Products). No specific maximum daily intake established for culinary use.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is listed as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) under 21 CFR 182.10 as a spice, natural seasoning, and flavouring. No maximum daily intake established for culinary use.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — Parsley contains apiole and has documented uterotonic (emmenagogic/abortifacient) activity at supplemental doses; culinary use is generally considered safe but high-dose supplements or concentrated extracts should be avoided during pregnancy.

Lactation — Ingestion of parsley in large supplemental amounts is discouraged in lactating mothers due to potential pharmacological effects of its volatile oil constituents (apiole) and lack of safety data at high doses.

Kidney Disease — Animal studies indicate parsley leaf extract at high doses causes nephrotoxicity (elevated BUN); individuals with existing kidney disease should consult a doctor before using parsley in supplement form.

Liver Disease — High-dose parsley leaf extract was hepatotoxic in animal studies (elevated ALT), warranting caution in individuals with pre-existing liver disease, particularly regarding supplement-dose use.

Other — Parsley is high in vitamin K and may reduce the efficacy of anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin; individuals on anticoagulant, diuretic, lithium, or opioid therapy should consult a doctor before consuming large amounts.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1PubMed. Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss (Parsley): An Updated Review of the Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacology, 2024. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2EFSA. 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. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Critique of medicinal conspicuousness of Parsley (Petroselinum crispum): a culinary herb of Mediterranean region, 2014. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Biochemical and haematological assessment of toxic effects of the leaf ethanol extract of Petroselinum crispum (Mill) Nyman ex A.W. Hill (Parsley) in rats, 2013. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Effect of parsley (Petroselinum crispum) intake on urinary apigenin excretion, blood antioxidant enzymes and biomarkers for oxidative stress in human subjects, 1999. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched5 citations