California Bay Laurel/Oregon Myrtle Leaves - Ask Extension
Dear, OSU Extension Service
I was recently told that due to the toxic nature of California Bay Laurel/Oregon Myrtle leaves they should not be used fo...
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California Bay Laurel/Oregon Myrtle Leaves #782822
Asked February 28, 2022, 3:05 PM EST
Dear, OSU Extension Service
I was recently told that due to the toxic nature of California Bay Laurel/Oregon Myrtle leaves they should not be used for cooking. I was also told that this information came from this organization. I am curious to know what led this body to come to this conclusion. Is the toxicity a chronic one, because we, my family, have been using them for years without any adverse acute side effects? Is there a study that is available that I can read up on? Any information you could provide would be helpful.
Andrew Weeks
Douglas County resident
Douglas County Oregon
Expert Response
Greetings,
Thank you for reaching out to Extension. I found the following related to various Bay leaves as published by OSU Extension. I was not able to locate the source of the toxic warning you mention. If you can confirm where the information came from I can follow up on it.
Shares that Oregon Myrtle/California Bay are sometimes used as substitutes but are not the bay leaf normally used in cooking, does warn about dangers of breathing in :
https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/umbellularia-californica
This non-OSU resource lists the following in regards to Oregon Myrtle: Culinary use is discouraged because it contains umbellulone, a toxic mucous irritant, and safrole, a known carcinogen. https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/myrtlewood/#.Yh1E-ejMKHs
Thank you for reaching out to Extension. I found the following related to various Bay leaves as published by OSU Extension. I was not able to locate the source of the toxic warning you mention. If you can confirm where the information came from I can follow up on it.
Shares that Oregon Myrtle/California Bay are sometimes used as substitutes but are not the bay leaf normally used in cooking, does warn about dangers of breathing in :
https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/umbellularia-californica
This non-OSU resource lists the following in regards to Oregon Myrtle: Culinary use is discouraged because it contains umbellulone, a toxic mucous irritant, and safrole, a known carcinogen. https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/myrtlewood/#.Yh1E-ejMKHs
Thank you for the information. Do you happen to know if there is data to indicate how much Umbellulone and Safrole is in the leaves/a leaf? The only data I have found so far is from a thesis paper written in 1938 wherein the author cites that in 1879, 60 to 70 pounds of fresh leaves were steam distilled down to 820 grams and that it contained 60% Umbellulone and there were trace amounts of Safrole.
Greetings,
I was not able to locate any OSU research specifying this.
I was not able to locate any OSU research specifying this.
