Poor Cosmetic Ingredient NOAEL Data GHS Classified

Furfural

INCI: FURFURAL

CAS Number
98-01-1
Function
Fragrance / perfumery ingredient
Safety Rating
POOR

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status restricted
EU Max Conc. 10 ppm
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes Permitted — not specifically listed in 21 CFR prohibited/restricted lists; RIFM safety assessment supports use at declared fragrance levels

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

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
moderate
Sensitization
low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

10 study endpoints found for Furfural. 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 500 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Carcinogenicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 25 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Short Term Toxicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 25 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 2211 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 240 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Short Term Toxicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 400 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Short Term Toxicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 180 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 600 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 60 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Carcinogenicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 175 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Carcinogenicity COSMOS_DB

GHS Hazard Classification

Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.

Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
flam;flame; skull;toxic; cancer;health haz
Hazard Statements
Flammable liquid and vapour Toxic if swallowed Fatal if inhaled Causes mild skin irritation Causes eye irritation May cause respiratory irritation Suspected of causing cancer May cause damage to liver through prolonged or repeated exposure if swallowed May be harmful if swallowed and enters airways Harmful to aquatic life
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is mildly irritating to the skin. The substance is irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract. If swallowed the substance may cause vomiting and could result in aspiration pneumonitis.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance defats the skin, which may cause dryness or cracking. The substance may have effects on the liver. Tumours have been detected in experimental animals but may not be relevant to humans.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation, through the skin and by ingestion.

Expert Verdict

CMR Category 2 carcinogen with threshold mechanism confirmed; SCCS pragmatic limit of 10 ppm in finished product; not genotoxic per RIFM; photoallergenicity data gap with RIFM research ongoing; UK CPSR assessors may flag automatically; ensure concentration is documented and justified

⚠️
Concern Level: High

Regulatory Flags

potential-allergen fragrance-component ifra_fragrance fda_food_additive eu_cosing_listed

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Furfural safe in cosmetics?

CMR Category 2 carcinogen with threshold mechanism confirmed; SCCS pragmatic limit of 10 ppm in finished product; not genotoxic per RIFM; photoallergenicity data gap with RIFM research ongoing; UK CPSR assessors may flag automatically; ensure concentration is documented and justified The EU classifies Furfural as "restricted". Safety rating: POOR. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is Furfural allowed in the EU?

Furfural EU regulatory status: restricted. Maximum allowed concentration: 10 ppm. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Furfural do in cosmetics?

Furfural functions as: Fragrance / perfumery ingredient. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 98-01-1.

What is the Margin of Safety for Furfural?

adequate 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 Furfural?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Furfural is 500 mg/kg bw/day based on a Carcinogenicity study via oral route in rat. A total of 10 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.

Is Furfural classified as hazardous under GHS?

Furfural carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Flammable liquid and vapour Toxic if swallowed Fatal if inhaled Causes mild skin irritation Causes eye irritation May cause respiratory irritation Suspected of causing cancer May cause damage to liver through prolonged or repeated exposure if swallowed May be harmful if swallowed and enters airways 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.

Compliance Tools

Check Furfural 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 55 jurisdictions
 🧮
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
 ⚗️
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions

Related Ingredients

Cinnamonitrile
Moderate
Dimethylbenzyl Carbinol (DMBC)
Good
Foeniculum Vulgare Water
Good
Hydrocinnamyl Isobutyrate
Excellent
Rhodinols
Moderate
Browse all 30,000+ ingredients →
📱

Is Furfural in Your Products?

Scan any product label with Piro — our free ingredient scanner. Point your camera at the ingredients list and get instant safety scores for every ingredient.

Try Piro Free →

Analyze Your Full Ingredient List

Paste any INCI list into the Decoder for instant safety analysis, or calculate the Margin of Safety for Furfural in your formulation.

Ingredient Decoder MoS Calculator