There are electronic cigarettes on the market with flavors that have genotoxic properties: the flavors contain chemicals that are potentially hazardous to health. This has emerged from a study by the health institute Sciensano.
Sciensano examined 129 e-cigarette liquids for the presence of hazardous aromas and found 5 chemicals that are genotoxic. Genotoxic substances can cause damage in the genetic information of cells, which can lead to mutations of those cells and cause cancer.
These are the chemicals estragole, safrole, 2-furyl methyl ketone, 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxyl-3 (2H) -furanone and transhexenal. Safrole is found in Sassafras oil and has already been banned as a food flavor.
In a later phase of the study, Sciensano examined 24 fluids: 4 tested positive for 2 of the above genotoxic substances.
More than 7,000 different flavors for e-cigarettes are available worldwide: these can be synthetic flavors, but also natural extracts and even essential oils. Because the supply is so large, a complete risk assessment of the chemical compounds present requires a systematic approach. Sciensano therefore tested 129 liquids for e-cigarettes against computer models that can accurately predict, among other things, the genotoxicity of chemical compounds.
Need more research
Producers of e-cigarettes are required, among other things, to register their product and the ingredients used before they place the e-cigarette on the European market. However, they do not need to provide a detailed composition of plant extracts and essential oils, with the result that unsafe aromas can still be present in e-cigarettes.
“More research is needed on the safety of flavorings in e-cigarettes, as a lot of data is currently lacking, including on the genotoxicity of certain ingredients,” says Sophia Barhdadi, researcher at Sciensano. In the meantime, the use of ingredients with potential health risks should be limited as a precaution as much as possible. For example, we suggest a list of prohibited ingredients to limit the risks of e-cigarette use. ‘
Sciensano examined 129 e-cigarette liquids for the presence of hazardous aromas and found 5 chemicals that are genotoxic. Genotoxic substances can cause damage in the genetic information of cells, which can lead to mutations of those cells and cause cancer. These are the chemicals estragole, safrole, 2-furyl methyl ketone, 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxyl-3 (2H) -furanone and transhexenal. Safrole is found in Sassafras oil and has already been banned as a food flavor. In a later phase of the study, Sciensano examined 24 liquids: 4 tested positive for 2 of the above genotoxic substances. Worldwide, there are more than 7,000 different flavors for e-cigarettes available: these can be synthetic flavors, natural extracts and even ethereal oils. Because the supply is so large, a complete risk assessment of the chemical compounds present requires a systematic approach. Sciensano therefore tested 129 liquids for e-cigarettes against computer models that can accurately predict, among other things, the genotoxicity of chemical compounds. Producers of e-cigarettes are required, among other things, to register their product and the ingredients used before they place the e-cigarette on the European market. However, they do not need to provide a detailed composition of plant extracts and essential oils, with the result that unsafe aromas can still be present in e-cigarettes. “More research is needed on the safety of flavorings in e-cigarettes, as a lot of data is currently lacking, including on the genotoxicity of certain ingredients,” says Sophia Barhdadi, researcher at Sciensano. In the meantime, the use of ingredients with potential health risks should be limited as a precaution as much as possible. For example, we suggest a list of prohibited ingredients to limit the risks of e-cigarette use. ‘
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