Safrole
94-59-7 · (1,2-(Methylenedioxy)-4-allyl)benzene · (Allyldioxy)benzene methylene ether · 1, 5-(2-propenyl)- · 1, 5-allyl- · 1,2-methylenedioxy-4-allyl-Benzene · 1,2-Methylenedioxy-4-allylbenzene · 1,3-Benzodioxole, 5-(2-propen-1-yl)- · 1,3-Benzodioxole, 5-(2-propenyl)- · 1,3-Benzodioxole, 5-allyl- · 1-Allyl-3,4-(methylenedioxy)benzene · 1-Allyl-3,4-methylenedioxybenzene · 3,4-(Methylenedioxy)allylbenzene · 3,4-Methylenedioxy-allybenzene · 3,4-methylenedioxy-allylbenzene · 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)prop-1-ene · 3-[(3,4-Methylenedioxy)phenyl]-1-propene · 4 Allyl 1,2 methylenedioxybenzene · 4-Allyl-1,2-(methylenedioxy)benzene · 4-Allyl-1,2-methylenedioxybenzene · 4-Allyl-1,2-methylenedioxybenzenes · 4-Allylpyrocatechol formaldehyde acetal · 5-(2-Propenyl)-1,3-benzodioxole · 5-(prop-2-en-1-yl)-2H-1,3-benzodioxole · 5-19-01-00553 (Beilstein Handbook Reference) · 5-?Allyl-?1,3-?benzodioxole · 5-Allyl-1,3-benzodioxole · 5-allyl-benzo-1,3-dioxole · 5-allyl-benzo[1,3]dioxole · 5-allylbenzo[d][1,3]dioxole · 5-prop-2-enyl-1,3-benzodioxole · Alda-89 · Allylcatechol methylene ether · Allyldioxybenzene methylene ether · Allylpyrocatechol methylene ether · Benzene, 1,2-methylenedioxy-4-allyl- · Benzene, 4-allyl-1,2-(methylenedioxy)- · BRN 0136380 · CAS-94-59-7 · Caswell No. 729 · CCRIS 553 · EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 097901 · HSDB 2653 · m-Allylpyrocatechin methylene ether · RCRA waste no. U203 · RCRA waste number U203 · saffrole · Safrene · Safrol · Safrole · Safrole MF · Safrole, 10mg/ml in Methanol · Safrole, >=97% · Safroles · Safrols · Sassafras · Shikimol · Shikimole · Shikimols · Shikomol · 5-prop-2-enyl-1,3-benzodioxole · SafroleCAS 94-59-7
Listed as a flavouring agent by the US.
Listed as flavouring agents and adjuvants (US)
- United States: Flavoring agent or adjuvant — FDA, Substances Added to Food: SAFROLE--PROHIBITED
Safrole is the principal component of sassafras oil and was once used to flavour root beer. The FDA prohibited it as a food additive after studies in rodents reported liver tumours.
Where it is and isn’t permitted
| Jurisdiction | Status | Scope and limits | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia and New Zealand | No listed food uses foundThis site has not matched this substance to any food use on this jurisdiction’s list of authorised food additives. A food additive may be used only in foods that list names. Flavourings, enzymes, processing aids and added nutrients are regulated separately and do not appear on it. | ||
| Canada | No listing matchedHealth Canada’s lists name additives without E or INS numbers, so this site matches them by exact name. A substance listed there under a name this site does not recognise has no row here. | ||
| European Union | No listed food uses foundThis site has not matched this substance to any food use on this jurisdiction’s list of authorised food additives. A food additive may be used only in foods that list names. Flavourings, enzymes, processing aids and added nutrients are regulated separately and do not appear on it. | ||
| Great Britain | No listed food uses foundThis site has not matched this substance to any food use on this jurisdiction’s list of authorised food additives. A food additive may be used only in foods that list names. Flavourings, enzymes, processing aids and added nutrients are regulated separately and do not appear on it. | ||
| Japan | No listing matchedThis site imports only Japan’s list of designated additives (Appended Table 1 to the Regulations for Enforcement of the Food Sanitation Act), matched by English name. Existing additives, natural flavouring agents and ordinary foods used as additives are permitted outside that list and are not imported, so an empty row does not show that Japan does not permit the substance. | ||
| South Korea | No listing matchedThis site imports Part III of South Korea’s Standards and Specifications for Food Additives, matched by CAS number, then INS number, then exact name. Mixed preparations and sanitisers are not imported, and an entry whose identifiers disagreed with a page’s is held for review, so an empty row does not show that South Korea does not permit the substance. | ||
| United States | Prohibited | 21 CFR 189.180retrieved 2026-10-17 | |
| 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
Extracted from the root bark of sassafras and from other plant oils including camphor and star anise. Sassafras preparations from which safrole has been removed are treated separately from safrole itself in regulation.
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
Compare other additives on the dietary indexes.
- CAS registry number
- 94-59-7
- InChIKey
- ZMQAAUBTXCXRIC-UHFFFAOYSA-N
- PubChem
- CID 5144
Every name it appears under
62 recorded names. A label may use any of them.
CAS registry number
- 94-59-7
As it appears in regulation
- Safrole
Other names
- (1,2-(Methylenedioxy)-4-allyl)benzene
- (Allyldioxy)benzene methylene ether
- 1, 5-(2-propenyl)-
- 1, 5-allyl-
- 1,2-methylenedioxy-4-allyl-Benzene
- 1,2-Methylenedioxy-4-allylbenzene
- 1,3-Benzodioxole, 5-(2-propen-1-yl)-
- 1,3-Benzodioxole, 5-(2-propenyl)-
- 1,3-Benzodioxole, 5-allyl-
- 1-Allyl-3,4-(methylenedioxy)benzene
- 1-Allyl-3,4-methylenedioxybenzene
- 3,4-(Methylenedioxy)allylbenzene
- 3,4-Methylenedioxy-allybenzene
- 3,4-methylenedioxy-allylbenzene
- 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)prop-1-ene
- 3-[(3,4-Methylenedioxy)phenyl]-1-propene
- 4 Allyl 1,2 methylenedioxybenzene
- 4-Allyl-1,2-(methylenedioxy)benzene
- 4-Allyl-1,2-methylenedioxybenzene
- 4-Allyl-1,2-methylenedioxybenzenes
- 4-Allylpyrocatechol formaldehyde acetal
- 5-(2-Propenyl)-1,3-benzodioxole
- 5-(prop-2-en-1-yl)-2H-1,3-benzodioxole
- 5-19-01-00553 (Beilstein Handbook Reference)
- 5-?Allyl-?1,3-?benzodioxole
- 5-Allyl-1,3-benzodioxole
- 5-allyl-benzo-1,3-dioxole
- 5-allyl-benzo[1,3]dioxole
- 5-allylbenzo[d][1,3]dioxole
- 5-prop-2-enyl-1,3-benzodioxole
- Alda-89
- Allylcatechol methylene ether
- Allyldioxybenzene methylene ether
- Allylpyrocatechol methylene ether
- Benzene, 1,2-methylenedioxy-4-allyl-
- Benzene, 4-allyl-1,2-(methylenedioxy)-
- BRN 0136380
- CAS-94-59-7
- Caswell No. 729
- CCRIS 553
- EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 097901
- HSDB 2653
- m-Allylpyrocatechin methylene ether
- RCRA waste no. U203
- RCRA waste number U203
- saffrole
- Safrene
- Safrol
- Safrole
- Safrole MF
- Safrole, 10mg/ml in Methanol
- Safrole, >=97%
- Safroles
- Safrols
- Sassafras
- Shikimol
- Shikimole
- Shikimols
- Shikomol
Systematic names
- 5-prop-2-enyl-1,3-benzodioxole
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 rather than machine-read, and none has been written for this substance yet.
Common questions
Assembled from what is above, in the words the questions are usually asked in. Each answer is the same statement the relevant section makes, with the same citations behind it.
- What is Safrole?
- Safrole is the principal component of sassafras oil and was once used to flavour root beer. The FDA prohibited it as a food additive after studies in rodents reported liver tumours.
- What is Safrole used for in food?
- It is listed as a flavouring agent — the role the US assigns it. This page shows every function each regulator records, with the citation for each.
- Is Safrole vegan?
- Yes. Safrole is not derived from animals, and is suitable for vegetarians. This page says what it is made from and how.
Sources for this page
- ecfr retrieved 2026-10-17
Full licence terms and publisher details on Sources. How this page is built and updated: Method.
Machine-readable: a JSON record of this additive is given on request —how to ask for access.
Follow changes to Safrole:Atom feed — regulatory events, and any change the weekly refresh detects in its provisions.