Moderate Cosmetic Ingredient NOAEL Data

Alpha-Terpinene

INCI: ALPHA-TERPINENE

CAS Number
99-86-5
Function
Fragrance
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status restricted
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes Not specifically restricted by FDA; FEMA GRAS for food flavoring

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
moderate
Sensitization
moderate

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

1 study endpoint found for Alpha-Terpinene. 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 60 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Developmental COSMOS_DB

Expert Verdict

Auto-oxidation is the primary concern. Must control peroxide values and store under nitrogen or antioxidant protection, as oxidized terpinene forms are potent sensitizers. EU places peroxide limits on similar terpene-rich essential oils in Annex III.

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Concern Level: Moderate

Regulatory Flags

essential-oil potential-allergen fragrance-component ifra_fragrance fda_food_additive eu_cosing_listed

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Alpha-Terpinene safe in cosmetics?

Auto-oxidation is the primary concern. Must control peroxide values and store under nitrogen or antioxidant protection, as oxidized terpinene forms are potent sensitizers. EU places peroxide limits on similar terpene-rich essential oils in Annex III. The EU classifies Alpha-Terpinene as "restricted". Safety rating: MODERATE. 1 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is Alpha-Terpinene allowed in the EU?

Alpha-Terpinene EU regulatory status: restricted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Alpha-Terpinene do in cosmetics?

Alpha-Terpinene functions as: Fragrance. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 99-86-5.

What is the Margin of Safety for Alpha-Terpinene?

not established The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

What is the NOAEL for Alpha-Terpinene?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Alpha-Terpinene is 60 mg/kg bw/day based on a Developmental study via oral route in rat. Source: COSMOS_DB.

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