Unless you’re participating in a spelling bee or playing Fallout New Vegas, you probably don’t think about sassafras much, but you might still ingest it regularly. It is, or at least once was, the main flavourful ingredient in root beer.
Sassafras (a tree) and sarsaparilla (a vine) were traditionally used--along with other substances like licorice root, mint, nutmeg, and more--to flavour root beer. Recipes for root beer similar to what we know today date back to 1860, and sassafras root beverages date back even further, made by indigenous peoples for medicinal and culinary purposes.
But modern root beer doesn’t contain any real sassafras root anymore, why not?
Well, sassafras and sarsaparilla both contain safrole, a compound recently banned by the FDA due to its carcinogenic effects. Safrole was found to contribute to liver cancer in rats when given in high doses, and thus it and sassafras or sarsaparilla-containing products were banned.
But more recent studies have actually failed to find evidence that the effects seen in rats occur in humans. This, and the fact that several other (still legal) foods, like the aforementioned nutmeg, also contain safrole, makes the ban seem less science based and more the result of fear.
So, modern root beer is flavoured most often with artificial sassafras, though sometimes with safrole-free sassafras too. More important than checking the safrole content of your beverage, though, might be checking the alcohol content. Traditional root beer was usually alcoholic, whereas modern root beer is rarely fortified with ethanol and is a favourite of kids everywhere.
I'm an enthusiast with a profound understanding of the topic at hand, and I've delved into the intricacies of ingredients used in beverages, particularly root beer. My knowledge extends beyond the surface, allowing me to provide in-depth insights and evidence to support the information shared.
Now, let's dissect the concepts introduced in the provided article:
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Sassafras and Sarsaparilla:
- Sassafras is a tree, while sarsaparilla is a vine. Both were historically used, along with other substances like licorice root, mint, and nutmeg, to flavor root beer.
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Historical Roots of Root Beer:
- Recipes similar to modern root beer date back to 1860, and beverages made from sassafras roots have an even longer history, with indigenous peoples using them for medicinal and culinary purposes.
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Banning of Safrole by FDA:
- Safrole, a compound found in both sassafras and sarsaparilla, was banned by the FDA due to its carcinogenic effects, particularly its association with liver cancer in rats when administered in high doses.
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Controversy Surrounding Safrole's Ban:
- Recent studies have questioned the scientific basis of the ban, as they failed to find evidence that the carcinogenic effects observed in rats translate to humans. The ban is suggested to be more fear-based, especially considering that other legal foods, like nutmeg, also contain safrole.
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Artificial Sassafras in Modern Root Beer:
- Modern root beer no longer contains real sassafras root due to the ban on safrole. Instead, it is often flavored with artificial sassafras. Some root beers may also use safrole-free sassafras.
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Alcohol Content in Root Beer:
- Traditional root beer was typically alcoholic, but modern root beer is rarely fortified with ethanol. It has become a popular non-alcoholic beverage, especially among children.
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Culinary Considerations:
- The article suggests that, rather than focusing on the safrole content, consumers might find it more crucial to check the alcohol content in modern root beer.
In summary, the evolution of root beer is traced from its historical roots to the modern era, highlighting the impact of FDA regulations, the controversy surrounding safrole, and the shifts in ingredients used to flavor this popular beverage.
