Safrole

CAS 94-59-7

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

Status of Safrole by jurisdiction. Every jurisdiction this site covers is listed, including those where the substance does not appear.
JurisdictionStatusScope and limitsCitation
United StatesFood and Drug AdministrationProhibited21 CFR 189.180retrieved 2026-09-07
Codex AlimentariusCodex Alimentarius Commission / JECFANot 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
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 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/safrole.json