Acetaldehyde is one of the most widely occurring aldehydes in nature and commonly used in industry. The metabolic byproduct of ethanol in the liver, acetaldehyde is toxic to the human body and rapidly converted to the less harmful acetic acid by the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase. People with a deficiency of aldehyde dehydrogenase accumulate acetaldehyde when consuming alcohol and this accumulation results in facial and body flushing often referred to as "Asian flush syndrome." Build up of acetaldehyde has also been associated with the effects of hangovers from alcohol consumption. Although classified as a carcinogen, acetaldehyde is naturally found in many foods and beverages such as ripe fruit, coffee, and wine.
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