Balsam of Peru

Balsam of Peru is used in food and drink for flavoring, in perfumes and toiletries for fragrance, and in medicine and pharmaceutical items for healing properties.

Balsam of Peru is obtained by using rags to soak up the resin after strips of bark are removed from the trunk of Myroxylon balsamum var.

[8] Balsam of Peru is used in food and drink for flavoring, in perfumes and toiletries for fragrance, and in medicine and pharmaceutical items for healing properties.

[10][19][20] A number of national and international surveys have identified balsam of Peru as being in the "top five" allergens most commonly causing patch test reactions in people referred to dermatology clinics.

[25] People allergic to balsam of Peru or other chemically related substances may experience a contact dermatitis reaction.

[8][12][21] If they ingest it, they may experience pruritus and contact dermatitis in the perianal region, possibly due to unabsorbed substances in the feces.

[8][11][26] Positive patch test results indicate that the person may have problems with certain flavorings, medications, and perfumed products.

[12] Naturally occurring ingredients may contain substances identical to or very closely related to balsam of Peru, and may cause the same allergic reactions.

[2] It confirmed that crude balsam of Peru should not be used as a fragrance ingredient, because of a wide variety of test results on its sensitizing potential, but that extracts and distillates can be used up to a maximum level of 0.4% in products.