If you have ever eaten a citrus dessert, chewed spearmint gum, or drunk a fruit juice, you have already eaten terpenes. Many of the terpenes found in cannabis are the same aroma compounds that food makers have used as flavorings for decades, which puts the safety question in a much more familiar light.

The regulatory picture

Several common terpenes are recognized by the U.S. FDA as safe flavoring substances. Limonene and linalool, two of the most common cannabis terpenes, are named among the synthetic flavoring substances generally recognized as safe under 21 CFR 182.60, and they carry FEMA GRAS status for use as flavorings. International bodies like the FAO/WHO expert committee on food additives have reached similar conclusions for typical flavoring intake levels. In other words, these are among the most studied and most widely used flavor ingredients in the food supply.

The honest caveat

Safety here refers to use as a flavoring at normal intake levels. Terpenes are potent, concentrated compounds, and like anything, the dose matters. Food-grade terpenes used at flavoring levels in a finished product are a completely different thing from undiluted concentrates, which should never be consumed straight. Reputable makers work within established food-grade use levels, and that distinction between a flavoring level and a raw concentrate is the whole ballgame.

How MONDAYS approaches it

Our chews use food-grade terpenes at flavoring levels, and are made in a cGMP-compliant facility. The hemp line is verified by DEA-registered lab testing for zero THC and zero CBD. In short, they are candy, made to be eaten. Explore the individual compounds in our Terpene Library.

Frequently asked questions

Are terpenes FDA approved?

Many common terpenes, including limonene and linalool, are recognized as generally recognized as safe flavoring substances for use in food at normal levels. That is a food-flavoring designation, not a drug approval, and MONDAYS makes no drug claims.

Can you eat terpenes straight?

Raw, undiluted terpene concentrates are not meant to be eaten straight and can irritate. Terpenes are safe in the small, food-grade amounts used to flavor a finished product like candy.

Are MONDAYS chews safe to eat?

They are made with food-grade terpenes at flavoring levels in a cGMP-compliant facility, with zero THC and zero CBD. They are candy. As with any food, enjoy them sensibly.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References

21 CFR 182.60, Synthetic flavoring substances and adjuvants. / FEMA (Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association) GRAS assessments of terpene flavor ingredients.