Is Formic Acid safe in cosmetics?
Formic Acid has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: restricted. US status: permitted. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database. This ingredient has been reviewed by cir.
Formic Acid
Also known as: EINECS 200-579-1, FEMA No. 2487, RCRA waste number U123, EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 214900, Spirit of formic acid (+15 more)
INCI: FORMIC ACID
Formic Acid (CAS 64-18-6) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as pH adjuster, preservative, fragrance ingredient. NOAEL 400 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: restricted, max 0.5%; GHS signal word DANGER. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in pharmaceutical data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 64-18-6 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
pH adjuster, preservative, fragrance ingredient
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
formic acid
InChIKey
BDAGIHXWWSANSR-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
restricted
EU Max Conc.
0.5%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted — CIR: safe as pH adjuster with 64 ppm limit for free acid (1995 final report, reopened 2012 for preservative/fragrance functions)
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Formic Acid.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
10 study endpoints found for Formic Acid. 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 | =945 mg/kg body weight | oral | rabbit | developmental toxicity | CIR_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =945 mg/kg body weight | oral | rabbit | developmental toxicity | CIR_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =945 mg/kg body weight | oral | rabbit | developmental toxicity | CIR_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =945 mg/kg body weight | oral | rabbit | developmental toxicity | CIR_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg body weight/day | - | rat | reproductive toxicity | CIR_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg body weight/day | - | rat | reproductive toxicity | CIR_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg body weight/day | - | rat | reproductive toxicity | CIR_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg body weight/day | - | rat | reproductive toxicity | CIR_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =577 mg/kg bw/day | - | - | Toxicology study | INCHEM_WHO_jecfa_jecmono_v040je10 |
| NOAEL | =577 mg/kg bw/day | - | - | Toxicology study | INCHEM_WHO_jecfa_jecmono_v040je10 |
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
FlamFlameCorrSkullToxic
Hazard Statements
Flammable liquid and vapour Toxic if inhaled Harmful if swallowed Causes severe skin burns and eye damage Harmful to aquatic life
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is very corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Corrosive on ingestion. Inhalation of the vapour may cause lung oedema. See Notes.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour, through the skin and by ingestion.
Safety Opinions
Official safety assessments from the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR).
cir
Verdict: unknown
NOAEL: 945 mg/kg body weight (not specified)
cir
Verdict: unknown
NOAEL: 945 mg/kg
body weight (oral)
cir
Verdict: unknown
NOAEL: 1000 mg/kg body weight/day (not specified)
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Formic 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 | =338836 mg/m3 | Human | inhalation | - | DOE Protective Action Criteria |
| ADI | <=3 mg/kg | Human | oral | - | WHO JECFA ADI |
| LC50 | =6.2 mg/L | Mouse | inhalation | - | ChemIDplus |
| LC50 | =15 mg/L | Rat | inhalation | - | ChemIDplus |
| LC50 | =7.4 mg/L | Rat | inhalation | - | HPVIS |
| LD50 | =700 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LD50 | =1100 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
| LOAEL | =0.12 mg/L | Mouse | inhalation | subchronic | HPVIS |
| LOAEL | =0.12 mg/L | Rat | inhalation | subchronic | HPVIS |
| LOAEL | =0.12 mg/L | Mouse | inhalation | short-term | HPVIS |
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableCorrosiveAcute Toxicity
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 3; Met. Corr. 1; Acute Tox. 3; Acute Tox. 4; Skin Corr. 1A; Eye Dam. 1
Hazard Statements
- H226 Flammable liquid and vapour
- H290 May be corrosive to metals
- H331 Toxic if inhaled
- H302 Harmful if swallowed
- H314 Causes severe skin burns and eye damage
- H318 Causes serious eye damage
Specific Concentration Limits / M-factors
inhalation: ATE = 7.4 mg/L vapours; oral: ATE = 500.0 mg/kg bw; Flam. Liq. 3; H226: C > 85.0%; Skin Corr. 1A; H314: C ≥ 90.0%; Skin Corr. 1B; H314: 10.0% ≤ C < 90.0%; Skin Irrit. 2; H315: 2.0% ≤ C < 10.0%; Eye Dam. 1; H318: C ≥ 10.0%; Eye Irrit. 2; H319: 2.0% ≤ C < 10.0%
Inserted via ATP: ATP22
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 (2)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| IN | permitted_preservative | 0.5 | all cosmetics |
| BR | permitted_preservative | 0.5 | 0.5% as formic acid |
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
ICSC Safety Card
0485
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
A skin and severe eye irritant. | ... Very corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (2)
JECFA Number
79
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
FORMIC ACID | 1997 | 0-3 mg/kg bw (1979) | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. The group ADI of 0-3 mg/kg bw that was established for formic acid and ethyl formate at the twenty-third meeting (1979) was maintained at the forty-ninth meeting (1997). | TRS 884-JECFA 49/29 | FAS 40-JEC FA 49/147 (FLAVOUR)
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Adhesion/cohesion promoter
Antioxidant
Chelating agent
Corrosion inhibitor
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Preservative
Processing aids not otherwise specified
pH regulating agent
Regulatory List Membership (4)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Formic Acid.
Regulatory Flags
fragrance-component
preservative
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Formic Acid by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
24
Lowest NOAEL
400
Highest NOAEL
2000
Units vary across source rows: mg/kg bw/day, mg/kg body weight, mg/kg body weight/day
INCHEM_WHO_jecfa_jecmono_v040je10
CIR_vision_codex
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Known Synonyms
EINECS 200-579-1
FEMA No. 2487
RCRA waste number U123
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 214900
Spirit of formic acid
Kwas metaniowy
Kyselina mravenci
Mierenzuur
UNII-0YIW783RG1
Formicum acidum
Add-F
Ameisensaeure
Aminate
Formate
Formylate
H-COOH
HCO2H
HCOOH
Methanoate
Sybest
Chemical Function
pH regulating agent
Preservative
Chelating agent
Fragrance
Flavouring and nutrient
Corrosion inhibitor
Adhesion/cohesion promoter
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Regulatory Lists
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; Europe; Pesticides
Canada; consumer_product; Substances in Products - Canada (4/2014)
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Europe; Personal care - body hygiene - hand soap
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
consumer_product; Europe
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Pesticides
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
FORMIC ACID
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL116736
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Formic Acid allowed in the EU?
Formic Acid EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.5%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Formic Acid do in cosmetics?
Formic Acid functions as: pH adjuster, preservative, fragrance ingredient. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 64-18-6.
What is the NOAEL for Formic Acid?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Formic Acid is =945 mg/kg body weight based on a developmental toxicity study via oral route in rabbit. A total of 10 study endpoints are available. Source: CIR_vision_codex.
Is Formic Acid classified as hazardous under GHS?
Formic Acid carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Flammable liquid and vapour Toxic if inhaled Harmful if swallowed Causes severe skin burns and eye damage 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 Formic Acid used outside cosmetics?
Formic Acid also appears in pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Formic Acid 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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