Calamus and its derivatives
Calamus and its derivativesCalamus, or sweet flag, was used as a flavouring in bitters, liqueurs and some confectionery. The FDA prohibited it in food following animal studies on its constituent beta-asarone.
Where it is and isn’t permitted
| Jurisdiction | Status | Scope and limits | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Prohibited | 21 CFR 189.110retrieved 2026-09-07 | |
| Codex Alimentarius | Not listedDoes not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited. |
What it is made from
Derived from the rhizome of Acorus calamus, as the dried root, an extract or the essential oil. Varieties differ substantially in their beta-asarone content, which is the reason for the restriction.
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
Every name it appears under
1 recorded name. A label may use any of them.
As it appears in regulation
- Calamus and its derivatives
Hazard reference values
No reference value for this substance in the sources we hold.
Evidence and how bodies read it
Studies, and the differing conclusions regulators drew from them, are curated by hand rather than machine-read, and none has been written for this substance yet.
Sources for this page
- ecfr retrieved 2026-09-07
Full licence terms and publisher details on Sources. How this page is built and updated: Method.
Machine-readable:/api/v1/additives/calamus-and-its-derivatives.json