title: Safety evaluation studies of SGF gum--a potential food additive from the seed of Sesbania cannabina.
abstract: SGF gum, derived from the plant Sesbania cannabina, has properties very similar to those of guar gum. Because it is much cheaper than guar, SGF gum is of interest as a possible new food additive. It has therefore been tested in rats for acute, short-term and subchronic toxicity, teratogenicity and effects on reproductive performance, and a 1% concentration in the diet has been identified as the no-effect level. The tests complied with the guidelines issued by the Chinese authorities. Mutagenicity studies, Ames tests and a micronucleus test gave negative results, and a dominant lethal test in mice was negative at the 1% dietary level, although at 5 and 10% the results were equivocal. No adverse changes were elicited in 23 human volunteers who consumed a total of 960 mg SGF gum during a 30-day period during which they consumed, daily, 80 g ice-cream containing 0.04% SGF gum instead of the usual thickener. On the basis of applying a 100-fold safety factor to the findings in the animal studies, an acceptable human daily intake of 6 mg/kg is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Tianjin Medical College, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: X L
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: E Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005503:Food Additives / Q000633:toxicity*; D005685:Galactans / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000633:toxicity*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009153:Mutagens; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D053149:Plant Gums; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005503:Food Additives; D005685:Galactans; D008351:Mannans; D009153:Mutagens; D053149:Plant Gums; C058260:SGF gum