There is evidence that EBH may be a carcinogen in animals. Male and female B6C3F1 mice (29 each) were exposed to 75 mg/kg/day in distilled drinking water for
1.5 years (Van Duuren et al., 1985). Squamous papillomas of the stomach were found in 10 females and nine males. Two stomach papillomas were reported in the 95 control animals. No significant incidence of tumours were reported at any other site. A cancer potency factor for EBH from this limited study is 0.03 (mg/kg/day)1,
which shows it is much less potent than ETO itself, and would be expected to yield significantly lower cancer risks at similar doses. Further animal studies, especially
those lasting a full 2 years, would be necessary to estimate precisely a CPF for EBH.