SHEET /m/methylglyoxal · PubChem CID 880 · CAS 78-98-8 · REV 2026.07
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Methylglyoxal from source
C3H4O2 · 72.06 g/mol
2-Oxopropanal · pyruvaldehyde · pyruvic aldehyde · acetylformaldehyde
chemical compound
CategoryBody
Chemical familyKetones
Fig. 1 · 2D structure RDKit
CC(=O)C=O
Where you'll find it
Not yet mapped to everyday foods or products.
The dose makes the poison inferred
A reported rat oral LD50 for Methylglyoxal is 1,165 mg/kg, the dose lethal to half the animals tested. Scaled by body mass alone:
81.5 g
a median lethal dose scaled to 154 lb (81,550 mg)
“The dose makes the poison” is a cross-species estimate shown as neutral science, not a threshold anyone should act on. Real toxicity depends on the person, not body mass alone.
Toxicity & hazards
Toxicity · LD50
1,165 mg/kg · low toxicity · LD50 rat oral from source
The dose lens above scales this to a body weight.
1 more reported value
- 179 mg/kgLD50 · other · mouse
DangerCorrosiveIrritantHealth hazardH290, H302, H315, H317, H318, H319, H335, H341from source
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