Learn Glossary flavoring

Coumarin

Level 5High concernIn Winter's Dictionary

Coumarin is a flavoring — Fragrant ingredient of tonka beans, sweet woodruff, cramp bark

Also: Tonka Bean, Cumarin

What it does

Fragrant ingredient of tonka beans, sweet woodruff, cramp bark

Where you'll see it

Formerly in food; recurring problem in Mexican vanilla

What the research says

Toxic by ingestion and carcinogenic.

Regulatory status

  • US FDA: BAN
  • Notes: Prohibited in food in U.S. since 1940

Sources

  • A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives (Winter): Coumarin is prohibited in foods because it is toxic by ingestion and carcinogenic