Subchronic toxicity, toxicity to reproduction and prenatal developmental toxicity of vinyl laurate.

Vinyl laurate (VL), is used in the manufacture of polyvinyl acetate vinyl laurate copolymer a component of gum base for chewing gum production. The potential toxicity of VL to reproduction was examined in a combined repeated dose and reproduction/developmental toxicity screening study (OECD test guideline 422) and a prenatal developmental toxicity screening study (OECD test guideline 414). VL was administered to Wistar rats by gavage at 0 (controls), 50, 250 and 1000mg/kgbw/d. There were no signs of systemic toxicity in the parental animals of either study. Adverse effects on reproductive performance and fetal development that could be attributed to the VL treatment were not observed. Thus, the highest dose level tested was a NOAEL in these two studies.