Is Alpha-Ionone safe in cosmetics?
Alpha-Ionone has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 2 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Alpha-Ionone
Also known as: (3E)-4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one, Cyclocitrylideneacetone, alpha-, EINECS 204-841-6, EINECS 250-293-6, FEMA No. 2594 (+8 more)
INCI: ALPHA-IONONE
Alpha-Ionone (CAS 127-41-3) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Fragrance (Perfuming). Reported NOAEL =11.1 mg/kg bw/day in Rat (ECHA); 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, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Alpha-Ionone is classified GHS Danger (H315, H317, H334) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
Fragrance (Perfuming)
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
(E)-4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one
InChIKey
UZFLPKAIBPNNCA-BQYQJAHWSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Not restricted by FDA; RIFM safety-assessed and supported
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Alpha-Ionone.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
2 study endpoints found for Alpha-Ionone. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =11.1 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ECHA |
| NOAEL | =11.8 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | subchronic | ECHA |
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
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)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
alpha-Ionone was found to be a moderate /skin/ irritant.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (3)
JECFA Number
388
Source: WHO/JECFA
JECFA Evaluation
alpha-CYCLOCITRYLIDENEACETONE | 1998 | 0-0.1 mg/kg bw (1984) | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. The 1984 group ADI of 0-0.1 mg/kg bw for alpha-ionone and beta-ionone, singly or in combination, was maintained at the fifty-first meeting (1998). | TRS 891-JECFA 51/96 | FAS 42-JECFA 51/335
Source: WHO/JECFA
JECFA Evaluation
alpha-IONONE | 1998 | 0-0.1 mg/kg bw (1984) | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. The 1984 group ADI of 0-0.1 mg/kg bw for alpha-ionone and beta-ionone, singly or in combination, was maintained at the fifty-first meeting (1998). | TRS 891-JECFA 51/96 | FAS 42-JECFA 51/335
Source: WHO/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
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Alpha-Ionone — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
fragrance-component
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Alpha-Ionone by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
2
Lowest NOAEL
11.1 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
11.8 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA
Known Synonyms
(3E)-4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one
Cyclocitrylideneacetone, alpha-
EINECS 204-841-6
EINECS 250-293-6
FEMA No. 2594
UNII-I9V075M61R
(3E)-4-(2,6,6-Trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3-buten-2-on
(E)-4-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl)but-3-en-2-one
(E)-alpha-Ionone
alpha-(E)-ionone
alpha-Ionon
alpha-cyclocitrylideneacetone
trans-alpha-Ionone
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
IFRA Transparency
Europe
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
consumer_product
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
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
ALPHA-IONONE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL472877
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
ALPHA-IONONE
ADI
0-0.1 mg/kg bw (1984) mg/kg bw
Food Category
flavoring
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alpha-Ionone allowed in the EU?
Alpha-Ionone EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Alpha-Ionone do in cosmetics?
Alpha-Ionone functions as: Fragrance (Perfuming). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 127-41-3.
What is the NOAEL for Alpha-Ionone?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Alpha-Ionone is =11.1 mg/kg bw/day based on a subchronic study via oral route in Rat. A total of 2 study endpoints are available. Source: ECHA.
Is Alpha-Ionone used outside cosmetics?
Alpha-Ionone 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 Alpha-Ionone have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Alpha-Ionone is classified GHS Danger (H315, H317, H334) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Alpha-Ionone 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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