Is Erythritol safe in cosmetics?
Erythritol has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Erythritol
Also known as: Erythrol, EINECS 205-737-3, Erythritol, meso-, UNII-RA96B954X6, (2R,3S)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetrol (+13 more)
INCI: ERYTHRITOL
Erythritol (CAS 149-32-6) is a cosmetic humectant functioning as Humectant; water activity reduction agent; osmoprotectant; self-preservation. 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 and pharmaceutical data.
Function
Humectant; water activity reduction agent; osmoprotectant; self-preservation contributor
Editorial assessment
EXCELLENT
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) for food use. Multiple FDA no questions responses to industry GRAS notifications since 2001. Listed in PCPC INCI Dictionary; permitted for cosmetic use without restrictions under FDA regulations. No specific concentration limits or mandatory labeling requirements apply to cosmetic applications.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Erythritol.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Erythritol, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
1-3%
Penetration Level
surface
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum
Molecular Weight
122.1 Da
Log P
-2.8
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
0.5-2%
Safety Margin Factor
low
Source: Cosmetic Science
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
3 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =710 mg/kg-day | Human | oral | chronic | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =710 mg/kg-day | Human | oral | chronic | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =710 mg/kg-day | Human | oral | chronic | EFSA |
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
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Humectant
Softener and conditioner
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Erythritol — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
eu-unrestricted
no-sccs-opinion
no-cir-review
gras-fda
humectant
jecfa_safe
Known Synonyms
Erythrol
EINECS 205-737-3
Erythritol, meso-
UNII-RA96B954X6
(2R,3S)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetrol
1,2,3,4-Butanetetrol
Antierythrite
Butanetetrol
Erythroglucin
L-(-)-Threitol
L-Threitol
L-erythritol
Lichen sugar
Meso-Eythritol
Paycite
Tetrahydroxybutane
erythro-tetritol
i-Erythritol
Chemical Function
Humectant
Softener and conditioner
Regulatory Lists
Canada; Personal care; Substances in PCP - Canada (4/2014)
Canada; pharmaceutical
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
E968
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL349605
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Erythritol allowed in the EU?
Erythritol EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Erythritol do in cosmetics?
Erythritol functions as: Humectant; water activity reduction agent; osmoprotectant; self-preservation contributor. It is classified as a Humectant in our database. CAS number: 149-32-6.
Is Erythritol used outside cosmetics?
Erythritol 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.
Compliance Tools
Check Erythritol 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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