Myristicin

Myristicin is a naturally occurring phenylpropene compound found in nutmeg and mace, as well as in parsley, dill, and carrots. It contributes to the warm, spicy aroma of nutmeg and is one of the characteristic flavour constituents of the spice. At the high doses obtained from excessive nutmeg consumption, myristicin is psychoactive and toxic, causing the well-documented nutmeg intoxication syndrome, which is why food-safety guidance treats nutmeg as a flavouring to be used in culinary amounts only. In the flavour industry, myristicin-containing essential oils are handled within established safety limits, and analysts monitor its levels in spice quality control and in toxicological assessments of nutmeg-containing products.