Excellent Humectant NOAEL Data

L-Glutamic Acid

INCI: GLUTAMIC ACID

CAS Number
56-86-0
Function
Enzymatically converts to pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA), the largest single component of the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF). Ion-pair formulations with L-arginine enhance percutaneous absorption.
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status permitted
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes FDA GRAS status; CIR-assessed safe as used in cosmetics.

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

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
low
Sensitization
none

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

5 study endpoints found for L-Glutamic 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 5000 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Developmental COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 10000 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Short Term Toxicity COSMOS_DB
dose_tested 5000 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Developmental COSMOS_DB
dose_tested 10000 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Short Term Toxicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 1000 mg/kg bw/day oral rat oral REACH

Expert Verdict

L-Glutamic acid is a precursor to the skin's dominant NMF component. EU-approved for cosmetic use, FDA GRAS, CIR-assessed safe. No restrictions at cosmetic use levels.

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Concern Level: None

Regulatory Flags

fda_food_additive

Frequently Asked Questions

Is L-Glutamic Acid safe in cosmetics?

L-Glutamic acid is a precursor to the skin's dominant NMF component. EU-approved for cosmetic use, FDA GRAS, CIR-assessed safe. No restrictions at cosmetic use levels. The EU classifies L-Glutamic Acid as "permitted". Safety rating: EXCELLENT. 5 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is L-Glutamic Acid allowed in the EU?

L-Glutamic Acid EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does L-Glutamic Acid do in cosmetics?

L-Glutamic Acid functions as: Enzymatically converts to pyrrolidone carboxylic acid (PCA), the largest single component of the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF). Ion-pair formulations with L-arginine enhance percutaneous absorption.. It is classified as a Humectant in our database. CAS number: 56-86-0.

What is the Margin of Safety for L-Glutamic Acid?

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 L-Glutamic Acid?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for L-Glutamic Acid is 5000 mg/kg bw/day based on a Developmental study via oral route in mouse. A total of 5 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.

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