Is Propionaldehyde safe in cosmetics?
Propionaldehyde has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: prohibited. US status: permitted.
Propionaldehyde
Also known as: EINECS 204-623-0, FEMA No. 2923, FEMA Number 2923, NCI-C61029, UNII-AMJ2B4M67V (+6 more)
INCI: PROPIONALDEHYDE (PROPANAL)
Propionaldehyde (CAS 123-38-6) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Fragrance ingredient; flavouring substance; used in perfume and cosmetic. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: prohibited. 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 123-38-6 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Propionaldehyde is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H225, H302, H315, H319, H332, H335, H371, H336).
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Fragrance ingredient; flavouring substance; used in perfume and cosmetic manufacturing
Safety Rating
MODERATE
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
propanal
InChIKey
NBBJYMSMWIIQGU-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
prohibited
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted; GRAS for flavoring; allowed in cosmetics under fragrance provisions
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Propionaldehyde.
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 vapour is irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract. The substance is severely irritating to the eyes and skin.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour and by ingestion.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableHarmful / Irritant
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 2; STOT SE 3; Skin Irrit. 2; Eye Irrit. 2
Hazard Statements
- H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapour
- H335 May cause respiratory irritation
- H315 Causes skin irritation
- H319 Causes serious eye irritation
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100 - 1,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (3)
Endocrine Disruptors
Potential endocrine disrupting compound
Source: NORMAN Suspect List Exchange
ICSC Safety Card
0550
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
The vapor may cause respiratory irritation but is not a strong enough irritant of eyes or respiratory tract to be considered significant factor in smog. | Irritating to skin, eyes, and respiratory system. | Irritates the skin causing a burning sensation and rash on contact. Inhalation can irritate the respiratory tract and may cause nosebleeds, sore throat, cough, and phlegm.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (2)
JECFA Number
83
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
PROPIONALDEHYDE | 1997 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | TRS 884-JECFA 49/29 | FAS 40-JECFA 49/147
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Regulatory List Membership (3)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Propionaldehyde.
Regulatory Flags
fragrance-component
endocrine_disruptor
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
Known Synonyms
EINECS 204-623-0
FEMA No. 2923
FEMA Number 2923
NCI-C61029
UNII-AMJ2B4M67V
1-Propanal
Aldehyde propionique
C2H5CHO
Propanalaldehyde
Proprionaldehyde
Propylaldehyde
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
Cons electronics mech appliances and machinery; detected; emissions; Europe
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
air; emissions; Europe; nondetect; Other direct contact consumer goods
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Other direct contact consumer goods
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
air; emissions; Europe; nondetect; Toys and children's products
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Road vehicles
Europe
air; Cons electronics mech appliances and machinery; detected; emissions; Europe
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
PROPIONALDEHYDE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL275626
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Propionaldehyde allowed in the EU?
Propionaldehyde EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Propionaldehyde do in cosmetics?
Propionaldehyde functions as: Fragrance ingredient; flavouring substance; used in perfume and cosmetic manufacturing. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 123-38-6.
Is Propionaldehyde used outside cosmetics?
Propionaldehyde 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 Propionaldehyde have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Propionaldehyde is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H225, H302, H315, H319, H332, H335, H371, H336).
Compliance Tools
Check Propionaldehyde 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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