Is Glucose safe in cosmetics?
Glucose has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Glucose
Also known as: Dextrose, Glucose – C6H12O6, glucosa, 4-01-00-04302, Blood sugar (+14 more)
INCI: GLUCOSE
Glucose (CAS 50-99-7) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Flavoring Agent. 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, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
Function
Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Flavoring Agent
Editorial assessment
EXCELLENT
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
(3R,4S,5S,6R)-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-2,3,4,5-tetrol
InChIKey
WQZGKKKJIJFFOK-GASJEMHNSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
GRAS under 21 CFR 184.1857. CIR concluded safe in present practices. Listed as inactive ingredient in FDA-approved drugs.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Glucose.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by ingestion.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
1 toxicity value from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | =25800 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ChemIDplus |
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
0.1%
DPRA Lys %
15.3%
KeratinoSens IC50
2000 µM
GHS: inconclusive
Source: DPRA: Urbisch et al. 2015 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2014.12.008]; KS: Urbisch et al. 2015 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2014.12.008]
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
Carcinogen Classification
No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC).
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
ICSC Safety Card
0865
Source: WHO/JECFA
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Anti-caking agent
Binder
Drier
Dye
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Humectant
Lubricating agent
Pharmaceutical
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Regulatory List Membership (4)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Glucose — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
Known Synonyms
Dextrose
Glucose – C6H12O6
glucosa
4-01-00-04302
Blood sugar
BRN 1724615
Dextrose, anhydrous
EINECS 200-075-1
Glucose, anhydrous
Glucose liquid
NSC 406891
Traubenzucker
UNII-5SL0G7R0OK
(3R,4S,5S,6R)-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-2,3,4,5-tetrol
D-Glc
D-Glcp
D-Glucose
Glc-OH
Tabfine 097(HS)
Chemical Function
Humectant
Flavouring and nutrient
Pharmaceutical
Regulatory Lists
IFRA Transparency
SCIL (9/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
consumer_product
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
animal_products
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Europe; Personal care - hair styling and care - shampoo-dandruff
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
CHEMBL448805
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Glucose (Dextrose)
Food Category
sweetener
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glucose allowed in the EU?
Glucose EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Glucose do in cosmetics?
Glucose functions as: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Flavoring Agent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 50-99-7.
Is Glucose used outside cosmetics?
Glucose 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 Glucose 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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