Is Caproic Acid safe in cosmetics?
Caproic Acid has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Caproic Acid
Also known as: 4-02-00-00917, BRN 0773837, EINECS 205-550-7, FEMA No. 2559, Hexacid 698 (+15 more)
INCI: CAPROIC ACID
Caproic Acid (CAS 142-62-1) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Perfuming; intermediate in ester synthesis. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 142-62-1 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Caproic Acid is classified GHS Danger (H311, H314, H318, H332) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Perfuming; intermediate in ester synthesis
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
hexanoic acid
InChIKey
FUZZWVXGSFPDMH-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Must be calculated for CPSR if used as a standalone ingredient; NOAEL data available from OECD SIDS
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Caproic Acid.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. If this liquid is swallowed, aspiration into the lungs may result in chemical pneumonitis.
Long-term Exposure Effects
See Notes.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its aerosol and through the skin.
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
1 human repeat insult patch test aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMT | - | 0 | 675 | - | - |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1,000 - 10,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
Carcinogen Classification
No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC).
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
ICSC Safety Card
1167
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Regulatory (3)
JECFA Number
93
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
CAPROIC ACID | 2023 | Not evaluated | JECFA considered that the use of acetaldehyde (No. 80) as a structural analogue in the safety assessment of flavouring substances would require further evaluation. Furthermore, JECFA concluded that the use of acetaldehyde (No. 80) as a flavouring agent requires re-evaluation. JECFA requests that updated exposure data (including both MSDI and SPET values) be pr
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
HEXANOIC ACID | 2023 | Not evaluated | JECFA considered that the use of acetaldehyde (No. 80) as a structural analogue in the safety assessment of flavouring substances would require further evaluation. Furthermore, JECFA concluded that the use of acetaldehyde (No. 80) as a flavouring agent requires re-evaluation. JECFA requests that updated exposure data (including both MSDI and SPET values) be p
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Cleaning agent
Deodorizer
Emulsifier
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Solvent
Surfactant (surface active agent)
pH regulating agent
Regulatory List Membership (4)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Caproic Acid.
Regulatory Flags
fragrance-component
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
Known Synonyms
4-02-00-00917
BRN 0773837
EINECS 205-550-7
FEMA No. 2559
Hexacid 698
Kyselina kapronova
UNII-1F8SN134MX
1-Hexanoate
1-Pentanecarboxylate
6:0
Butylacetate
C6:0
CH3-[CH2]4-COOH
Caproate
Capronate
Hexanoate
Hexoate
Hexylate
N-Caproate
N-Hexanoate
Chemical Function
Surfactant (surface active agent)
Deodorizer
Emulsifier
Fragrance
Cleaning agent
pH regulating agent
Solvent
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
air; Arts and crafts/Office supplies - fabric treatment and dye; Arts and crafts/Office supplies - home office - pens and markers; detected; emissions; Europe
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Home maintenance - caulk/sealant
pharmaceutical
air; Cons electronics mech appliances and machinery; detected; emissions; Europe
air; Cons electronics mech appliances and machinery; detected; emissions; Europe
pharmaceutical
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - fabric treatment and dye; detected
Arts and crafts/Office supplies - fabric treatment and dye; detected; Europe
artificial_saliva; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
artificial_saliva; detected; emissions; Europe; Furniture and Furnishings
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
Australia; Food and drug - smoking-related products
IFRA Transparency
Europe
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
SCIL (9/2019)
consumer_product
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
HEXANOATE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL14184
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Caproic Acid allowed in the EU?
Caproic Acid EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Caproic Acid do in cosmetics?
Caproic Acid functions as: Perfuming; intermediate in ester synthesis. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 142-62-1.
Is Caproic Acid used outside cosmetics?
Caproic Acid also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Caproic Acid have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Caproic Acid is classified GHS Danger (H311, H314, H318, H332) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Caproic Acid compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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