Why was sassafras banned from American root beer despite being safe?

Food & Drink · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For decades, a single ingredient has been legally absent from commercial root beer in the United States. While sassafras is often labeled toxic, the truth involves a flawed study and a very specific regulatory loophole. Discover how to recreate this traditional beverage using the original, unbanned botanicals.

Traditional root beer relies on a complex infusion of roots and barks to achieve its signature flavor. A classic recipe involves steeping dried sassafras root bark and sarsaparilla root with ingredients like ginger, cinnamon, cherry bark, and liquorice root. This infusion can be transformed into a sweet syrup by adding Demerera brown sugar, or into a naturally carbonated beverage through fermentation. The base infusion typically requires fresh ginger, sarsaparilla, and cherry bark. To ensure a clear syrup, the liquid must be cooled and strained through a coffee filter to remove fine particulates.

To create a naturally fermented version, one mixes one part syrup with three parts water in pressure-safe bottles. After sitting at room temperature for two to three days, the liquid undergoes fermentation, resulting in a beverage with an alcohol content of approximately 3% to 4%. For a non-alcoholic version, the syrup can simply be mixed with carbonated soda water. One can also achieve carbonation by force carbonating the syrup in an ISI bottle or a corny keg. This method provides a non-alcoholic alternative to the fermentation process.

The history of root beer is complicated by the regulatory status of safrole, a component found in sassafras. Research frequently cited claims that safrole causes cancer, following experiments where rats ingested amounts equal to 9,000 gallons of root beer. While later research indicated that safrole is no more toxic in moderate quantities than other common spices like cinnamon, anise, or nutmeg, the ban remains. Interestingly, the ban applies specifically to the compound 'safrole' in commercial root beer within the United States, even though sassafras itself remains legal to buy and sell. This regulatory distinction is unique because safrole is also found in herbs like basil. Despite these findings, the specific ban on the compound remains active for American commercial manufacturers.

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