Is Methyl Propionate safe in cosmetics?
Methyl Propionate has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Methyl Propionate
Also known as: Propanoic acid, methyl ester, 4-02-00-00704, BRN 1737628, EINECS 209-060-4, FEMA No. 2742 (+5 more)
INCI: METHYL PROPIONATE
Methyl Propionate (CAS 554-12-1) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Perfuming (fragrance). 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 and pharmaceutical data.
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Methyl Propionate is classified GHS Danger (H225, H332) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
Perfuming (fragrance)
Editorial assessment
MODERATE
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
methyl propanoate
InChIKey
RJUFJBKOKNCXHH-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Allowed - also approved as a direct food additive under 21 CFR 172.515 (synthetic flavoring); FEMA 2742. No restrictions for cosmetic fragrance use.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Methyl Propionate.
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.
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the respiratory tract, skin and eyes.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
FlammableHarmful / Irritant
Hazard Class and Category
Flam. Liq. 2; Acute Tox. 4 *
Hazard Statements
- H225 Highly flammable liquid and vapour
- H332 Harmful if inhaled
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
1 human repeat insult patch test aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMT | - | 0 | 1350 | - | - |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1 - 10 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
ICSC Safety Card
1029
Source: WHO/JECFA
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
A skin irritant.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Regulatory (2)
JECFA Number
141
Source: WHO/JECFA
JECFA Evaluation
METHYL PROPIONATE | 2019 | No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent | Considered for specification only. | TRS 1020-JECFA 87/74 | FAS 40-JECFA 49/297
Source: WHO/JECFA
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Regulatory List Membership (2)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Methyl Propionate — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
fragrance-component
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
jecfa_safe
Known Synonyms
Propanoic acid, methyl ester
4-02-00-00704
BRN 1737628
EINECS 209-060-4
FEMA No. 2742
FEMA Number 2742
Methylester kyseliny propionove
UNII-NB21C0D33W
FEMA 2742
Methyl ester of propanoic acid
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Flavouring and nutrient
Regulatory Lists
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
IFRA Transparency
Europe
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
air; detected; emissions; Europe; Toys and children's products
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
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.
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL3183973
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Methyl Propionate allowed in the EU?
Methyl Propionate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Methyl Propionate do in cosmetics?
Methyl Propionate functions as: Perfuming (fragrance). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 554-12-1.
Is Methyl Propionate used outside cosmetics?
Methyl Propionate also appears in industrial chemical safety and pharmaceutical data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Methyl Propionate have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Methyl Propionate is classified GHS Danger (H225, H332) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Methyl Propionate 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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