Evaluation of 90-day oral rat toxicity studies on the food additive, gum ghatti

Gum ghatti, a polysaccharide of natural origin, is used in foods as a thickening, gelling, emulsifying and stabilizing agent. In a 90-day toxicity study following Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guideline #408, male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 0 (control), 0.5, 1.5 and 5% gum ghatti in AIN-93M basal diet. Expected changes included increased full and empty cecal weights in 5% groups. Incidentally 2/10 females from the 5% gum ghatti group had a single colon ulcer with associated acute inflammation. In a second 90-day study increased cecal weights were present in Sprague-Dawley females exposed to 5% gum ghatti in AIN-93M and NIH-07 basal diets. A single colon ulcer with associated acute inflammation occurred in 1/20 control females given AIN-93M basal diet. The colon ulcers were considered a sporadic change possibly attributable to AIN-93M basal diet. In the second study a few statistically significant alterations in clinical chemistry were considered sporadic and unrelated to treatment. Feed consumption among treated and control groups was similar for each sex. Gum ghatti intake at the 5% dietary level ranged from 3044 to 3825 mg/kg body weight/day. The 5% dietary administration was a NOAEL in both studies. NOAELs for males and females in the first study were 3044 and 3309 mg/kg/day, respectively. NOAELs for females in the second study were 3670 and 3825 mg/kg/day for AIN-93M and NIH-07 diets, respectively.

► Gum ghatti is a food additive currently in use. ► Colon ulcers possibly attributable to AIN-93M diet. ► 5% dietary levels of gum ghatti show no adverse toxicity in rats.