Moderate Cosmetic Ingredient NOAEL Data

Maltol

INCI: MALTOL

CAS Number
118-71-8
Function
Fragrance, flavoring agent
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status prohibited
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes Allowed; holds GRAS status for food use (21 CFR 172.515). No specific cosmetic restrictions.

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

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
not established
Dermal Absorption
low
Sensitization
low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

10 study endpoints found for Maltol. 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 dog Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 400 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 400 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Carcinogenicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 400 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Carcinogenicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 400 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Multigeneration Reproductive COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 500 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 1000 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 200 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 200 mg/kg bw/day oral dog Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 400 mg/kg bw/day oral mouse Subchronic COSMOS_DB

Expert Verdict

Low toxicity. Well-established safety through decades of food and fragrance use. IFRA does not impose specific restrictions. Minor potential for skin sensitization at very high concentrations, but negligible at typical fragrance levels.. A naturally occurring organic compound (3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyranone) found in the bark of young larch trees, pine needles, chicory, roasted malt, and caramelized foods. Imparts a characteristic warm, sweet, caramel/cotton candy aroma. Widely used as a fragr...

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Concern Level: High

Regulatory Flags

potential-allergen fragrance-component ifra_fragrance fda_food_additive

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Maltol safe in cosmetics?

Low toxicity. Well-established safety through decades of food and fragrance use. IFRA does not impose specific restrictions. Minor potential for skin sensitization at very high concentrations, but negligible at typical fragrance levels.. A naturally occurring organic compound (3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyranone) found in the bark of young larch trees, pine needles, chicory, roasted malt, and caramelized foods. Imparts a characteristic warm, sweet, caramel/cotton candy aroma. Widely used as a fragr... The EU classifies Maltol as "prohibited". Safety rating: MODERATE. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is Maltol allowed in the EU?

Maltol EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Maltol do in cosmetics?

Maltol functions as: Fragrance, flavoring agent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 118-71-8.

What is the Margin of Safety for Maltol?

not established 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 Maltol?

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

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