Constituents of aromatic plants: I. Methyleugenol

Methyleugenol (ME) is a natural constituent of the essential oils of a number of plants widely used in foodstuffs as flavouring agents. Its occurrence, routes of intake, and available information on toxicity, kinetics and metabolism are reviewed. In view of the carcinogenic potential of ME, the need to check its presence in food products with effective analytical methods is pointed out. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.