Is Dehydroacetic Acid safe in cosmetics?
Dehydroacetic Acid has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted.
Dehydroacetic Acid
Also known as: 3-Acetyl-6-methyl-2,4-pyrandione, 3-Acetyl-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2,4(3H)-dione, DHS, Geogard 111A, Dehydracetic acid (+15 more)
INCI: DEHYDROACETIC ACID
Dehydroacetic Acid (CAS 520-45-6) is a cosmetic preservative functioning as Preservative; broad-spectrum antimicrobial (bacteria, fungi, yeasts). EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 0.6%. 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.
Function
Preservative; broad-spectrum antimicrobial (bacteria, fungi, yeasts)
Editorial assessment
GOOD
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
0.6%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted without specific cosmetic concentration cap under FDA. Listed in FDA Inactive Ingredients Database for topical use. No specific MoCRA restriction. Sodium dehydroacetate (the sodium salt form) is the most commonly used form in cosmetic formulations.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Dehydroacetic Acid.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Sensitization Profile
Contact sensitization data for Dehydroacetic Acid based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.
Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
preservative
EU Allergen Listed
no
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.1%
Cross-reactivity Group
none
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis
Source: ESSCA; IVDK; NACDG
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Dehydroacetic Acid, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
6-12%
Penetration Level
stratum-corneum
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum/epidermis
Molecular Weight
168.1 Da
Log P
0.52
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
4-10%
Safety Margin Factor
moderate
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: SCCS Opinion
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
2 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | =1330 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =500 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Warning
Pictograms
Harmful / Irritant
Hazard Class and Category
Acute Tox. 4 *
Hazard Statements
- H302 Harmful if swallowed
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
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
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.
JPKR Japan/Korea Cosmetics
Japan (Positive (Preservative)): max 0.50
Korea (Restricted): max 0.6
Japan (Restricted): max 0.50%
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (5)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP | restricted | 0.50% | All cosmetics |
| CN | permitted_preservative | 0.6 | All cosmetics |
| IN | permitted_preservative | 0.6 | all cosmetics |
| BR | permitted_preservative | 0.6 | 0.6% as acid; prohibited in sprayable systems |
| ASEAN | permitted_preservative | 0.6% as acid | All products |
Typical Use Concentrations
Reported concentration ranges per product category from SCCS/CIR/industry sources.
| Product Category | Typical Range | Max Reported | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face Cream | 0.1–0.6 | 0.6 | CIR Safety Assessment |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Antioxidant
Biocide
Fragrance
Preservative
Regulatory List Membership (3)
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Dehydroacetic Acid — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
eu-annex-v
restricted
aerosol-prohibited
broad-ph-range
broad-spectrum
sodium-salt-form
cosmos-benzyl-alcohol-pair
epa_safer_alternative
fda_food_additive
Known Synonyms
3-Acetyl-6-methyl-2,4-pyrandione
3-Acetyl-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2,4(3H)-dione
DHS
Geogard 111A
Dehydracetic acid
4-17-00-06699
3-Acetyl-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one
2-Acetyl-5-hydroxy-3-oxo-4-hexenoic acid, delta-lactone
3-Acetyl-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2,4(3H)-dione. enol form
BRN 0006129
Caswell No. 278
DHA (VAN)
EINECS 208-293-9
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 027801
4-Hexenoic acid, 2-acetyl-5-hydroxy-3-oxo-, delta-lactone
Methylacetopyronone
2H-Pyran-2-one, 3-acetyl-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-
3-Acety;-6-methylpyran-2,4(3H)-dione
NSC 139150
Kyselina dehydroacetova
Chemical Function
Biocide
Preservative
Fragrance
Antioxidant
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
detected; Europe; Personal care - sexual wellness
detected; Europe; Personal care - sexual wellness
Europe; Personal care - sexual wellness
Europe; Personal care - body hygiene - hand soap
CEDI
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 and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1724669
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Dehydroacetic acid
ADI
0.6 mg/kg bw
Food Category
preservative
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dehydroacetic Acid allowed in the EU?
Dehydroacetic Acid EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.6%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Dehydroacetic Acid do in cosmetics?
Dehydroacetic Acid functions as: Preservative; broad-spectrum antimicrobial (bacteria, fungi, yeasts). It is classified as a Preservative in our database. CAS number: 520-45-6.
Is Dehydroacetic Acid used outside cosmetics?
Dehydroacetic 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.
Compliance Tools
Check Dehydroacetic 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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