Short-term toxicity study of carnauba wax in rats

Groups of 15 male and 15 female rats were fed diet containing 0 (control), 1, 5 or 10% carnauba wax or 10% cellulose powder for 13 wk and groups of five rats of each sex were given these treatments, except the 1% carnauba wax, for 2 or 6 wk. Rats given 10% carnauba wax or 10% cellulose consumed more food than the controls but showed no differences in body weight, an effect attributed to the dilution of the diet by non-nutrient test materials. The study showed no treatment-related differences in body weights, water intakes, haematological values, serum-enzyme activities, urinary concentration and ‘dilution’ tests, organ weights or histological findings. The no-untoward-effect level for carnauba wax in the diet was 10%, which represented a mean intake of approximately 8·8 and 10·2 g/kg body weight/day in males and females, respectively.