Food & Drink / Compounds / Allyl isothiocyanate

Allyl isothiocyanate in food: ingestion safety

Moderate risk

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Dietary allyl-isothiocyanate intake via Brassica-glucosinolate (mustard + horseradish + wasabi + Chinese-mustard-greens) hydrolysis-product produces measurable gastrointestinal irritation + systemic uptake. FDA GRAS for flavoring (21 CFR 184.1409 + 582.10) frames the consumer-cohort safe-use envelope; EFSA glucosinolate cohort framework grounds the dietary-margin profile. Concentrated-condiment cohort is the dominant general-population exposure path.

What is allyl isothiocyanate?

The IUPAC name is 3-isothiocyanatoprop-1-ene.

Also known as: 3-isothiocyanatoprop-1-ene, AITC, Redskin, Allylsenfoel.

IUPAC name
3-isothiocyanatoprop-1-ene
CAS number
57-06-7
Molecular formula
C4H5NS
Molecular weight
99.16 g/mol
SMILES
C=CCN=C=S
PubChem CID
5971

Risk for people

Moderate risk

Dietary allyl-isothiocyanate intake via Brassica-glucosinolate (mustard + horseradish + wasabi + Chinese-mustard-greens) hydrolysis-product produces measurable gastrointestinal irritation + systemic uptake. FDA GRAS for flavoring (21 CFR 184.1409 + 582.10) frames the consumer-cohort safe-use envelope; EFSA glucosinolate cohort framework grounds the dietary-margin profile. Concentrated-condiment cohort is the dominant general-population exposure path.

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Allyl isothiocyanate.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
US FDA—Regulated under food safety frameworks (FDA GRAS, EU food additive regulations)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where you encounter allyl isothiocyanate

  • Food — mustard, horseradish, wasabi
  • Consumer Products — insect repellent (historical)
  • Fragrance — perfume, cologne, scented personal care products, household fragrance products, candles
    Identified in Fragrance Ingredient Safety Priority Research database (2,325 ingredients)

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Allyl isothiocyanate:

  • Natural preservatives; Clean-label ingredients; Minimally processed food
    Trade-offs: Consumer label appeal ('clean label'); variable efficacy depending on food matrix and target pathogen; may alter flavor/color; regulatory status varies by jurisdiction; often more expensive per unit of preservation effect.
    Relative cost: 2-5× conventional

Frequently asked questions

Is allyl isothiocyanate safe for you?

Dietary allyl-isothiocyanate intake via Brassica-glucosinolate (mustard + horseradish + wasabi + Chinese-mustard-greens) hydrolysis-product produces measurable gastrointestinal irritation + systemic uptake. FDA GRAS for flavoring (21 CFR 184.1409 + 582.10) frames the consumer-cohort safe-use envelope; EFSA glucosinolate cohort framework grounds the dietary-margin profile. Concentrated-condiment cohort is the dominant general-population exposure path.

What products contain allyl isothiocyanate?

Allyl isothiocyanate appears in: mustard (Food); horseradish (Food); insect repellent (historical) (Consumer products); perfume (Fragrance); cologne (Fragrance).

See Allyl isothiocyanate in the food app

Look up products containing allyl isothiocyanate, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in food View raw API data

Sources (6)
  1. PubChem Compound Database (2026) — database
  2. FDA 21 CFR 184.1409 + 21 CFR 582.10 — Allyl isothiocyanate generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use as flavoring agent (mustard-essential-oil principal component; volatile + lacrimator) (2018) — regulatory
  3. IARC Monographs Volume 73 — Allyl Isothiocyanate (Group 3 Not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans; sensitization + lacrimator framework) (1999) — regulatory
  4. IFRA Standard 51st Amendment — Allyl isothiocyanate concentration limits in finished fragrance products (sensitization + acute-irritation framework; finished-product 0.001-0.1% by category) (2024) — regulatory
  5. NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards — Allyl Isothiocyanate (CAS 57-06-7; PEL 0.4 mg/m³ + 4 mg/m³ STEL; lacrimator) (2019) — regulatory
  6. EFSA Scientific Opinion on Glucosinolates as Undesirable Substances in Animal Feed — sinigrin + allyl isothiocyanate hydrolysis-product framework + Brassica feed-quality limits (2008) — regulatory

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →