Is Propionic Acid safe in cosmetics?
Propionic Acid has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Propionic Acid
Also known as: Propanoic acid, 4-02-00-00695, BRN 0506071, Caswell No. 707, EINECS 201-176-3 (+15 more)
INCI: PROPIONIC ACID
Propionic Acid (CAS 79-09-4) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Preservative; antimicrobial agent. NOAEL 200 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max 2%; GHS signal word DANGER. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 79-09-4 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Propionic Acid is classified GHS Danger (H226, H314, H318, H335, H302, H311, H303) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics at max 2%.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status/eu_max; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Preservative; antimicrobial agent
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
propanoic acid
InChIKey
XBDQKXXYIPTUBI-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
2%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
GRAS; permitted in cosmetics; no specific concentration restrictions from FDA
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Propionic 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.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
FlamFlameCorrExcl markWarn
Hazard Statements
Flammable liquid and vapour Causes severe skin burns and eye damage May cause respiratory irritation Harmful to aquatic life
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is very corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour, by ingestion and through the skin.
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Propionic Acid across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEL | =87865.1 mg/m3 | Human | inhalation | - | DOE Protective Action Criteria |
| LOEL | =0.006 mmol | Rat | injection | acute | ECOTOX |
| LOEL | =0.006 mmol | Rat | injection | acute | ECOTOX |
| LOEL | =0.0045 mmol | Rat | injection | acute | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =0.002 mmol | Rat | injection | acute | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =0.002 mmol | Rat | injection | acute | ECOTOX |
| LOEL | <=1.92 umol/g org | Rat | injection | short-term | ECOTOX |
| LOEL | <=0.8 ul/g | Rat | injection | short-term | ECOTOX |
| LOEL | <=1.92 umol/g org | Rat | injection | subchronic | ECOTOX |
| NOEL | =0.8 ul/g | Rat | injection | short-term | ECOTOX |
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
Corrosive
Hazard Class and Category
Skin Corr. 1B
Hazard Statements
- H314 Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
Specific Concentration Limits / M-factors
Skin Corr. 1B; H314: C ≥ 25.0%; Skin Irrit. 2; H315: 10.0% ≤ C < 25.0%; Eye Irrit. 2; H319: 10.0% ≤ C < 25.0%; STOT SE 3; H335: C ≥ 10.0%
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100,000 - 1,000,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (4)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | permitted_preservative | 2 | All cosmetics |
| IN | permitted_preservative | 2.0 | all cosmetics |
| BR | permitted_preservative | 2 | 2% as propionic acid |
| ASEAN | permitted_preservative | 2% as acid | All products |
Additional Ingredient Properties
3 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
fermentation
{"cas_number": "varies", "ingredient_class": "microbial_metabolite", "production_organism": "bacteria", "fermentation_type": "aerobic", "substrate_feedstock": "glucose, amino acids", "bioactive_compounds_produced": "Propionic Acid", "mechanism_of_action_skin": "cell signaling, antimicrobial, antioxidant, metabolic regulation", "skin_benefit_primary": "antioxidant", "skin_benefit_secondary": "anti_…
microbiome
{"cas_number": "79-09-4", "ingredient_class": "postbiotic", "microbial_source_genus": "Propionibacterium", "microbial_source_species": "various", "fermentation_substrate": "milk", "live_organism_content": "no", "bioactive_components": "short_chain_fatty_acids", "molecular_weight_range_Da": "74", "pH_of_ingredient": "4.0-5.0", "mechanism_of_action": "antimicrobial_peptide", "skin_microbiome_effect"…
preservative
{"preservative_class": "Organic acid", "antimicrobial_spectrum_bacteria_gp": "Good", "antimicrobial_spectrum_bacteria_gn": "Moderate", "antimicrobial_spectrum_yeast": "Moderate", "antimicrobial_spectrum_mold": "Yes", "mic_staph_aureus_ppm": "200", "mic_e_coli_ppm": "300", "mic_pseudomonas_ppm": "400", "mic_candida_albicans_ppm": "800", "mic_aspergillus_niger_ppm": "1200", "challenge_test_pass_conc…
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (4)
Carcinogen Classification
No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC).
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
Carcinogen Classification
No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC).
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
ICSC Safety Card
0806
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
Corrosive. Causes severe eye and skin burns. Irritating to skin, eyes, and respiratory system. May be harmful if inhaled. | ... Vapors may irritate eyes, nose, and throat ...
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (3)
JECFA Number
84
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
METHYLACETIC ACID | 1997 | NOT LIMITED (1973) | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. The 1973 group ADI of "not limited" for propionic acid and its calcium, potassium and sodium salts was maintained at the forty-ninth meeting (1997). | TRS 884-JECFA 49/29 | FAS 40-JECFA 49/147
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
EU Food Improvement
Food additives
Source: EU Food Improvement Agents
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Biocide
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Preservative
Solvent
pH regulating agent
Regulatory List Membership (5)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
EU CosIng Cosmetics Ingredient Database
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Propionic Acid.
Regulatory Flags
preservative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
eu_cosing_listed
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Propionic Acid by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
6
Lowest NOAEL
300 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
400 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Known Synonyms
Propanoic acid
4-02-00-00695
BRN 0506071
Caswell No. 707
EINECS 201-176-3
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 077702
FEMA No. 2924
FEMA Number 2924
Methyl acetic acid
Propionic acid grain preserver
Propionoic acid
Sentry grain preserver
Tenox P grain preservative
Kyselina propionova
UNII-JHU490RVYR
CH3-CH2-COOH
Ethanecarboxylate
Ethylformate
Metacetonate
Methylacetate
Chemical Function
Preservative
pH regulating agent
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Solvent
Biocide
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
active_ingredient; agricultural; Pesticides
active_ingredient; agricultural; Pesticides
Canada; pharmaceutical
consumer_product
drinking_water; Europe; manufacturing; plastic_additive
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
PROPIONIC ACID
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL14021
Max Phase
2
Adverse Event Associations
149
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Propionic acid
E Number
E280
ADI
NOT LIMITED (1973) mg/kg bw
Food Category
preservative
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Propionic Acid allowed in the EU?
Propionic Acid EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 2%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Propionic Acid do in cosmetics?
Propionic Acid functions as: Preservative; antimicrobial agent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 79-09-4.
Is Propionic Acid classified as hazardous under GHS?
Propionic Acid carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Flammable liquid and vapour Causes severe skin burns and eye damage May cause respiratory irritation Harmful to aquatic life. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is Propionic Acid used outside cosmetics?
Propionic Acid also appears in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Propionic Acid have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Propionic Acid is classified GHS Danger (H226, H314, H318, H335, H302, H311, H303) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics at max 2%.
Compliance Tools
Check Propionic Acid compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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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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Chemical family
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Chemical family
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Chemical family
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