Is Potassium Iodide safe in cosmetics?
Potassium Iodide has a safety rating of "MODERATE" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 1 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Potassium Iodide
Also known as: Caswell No. 694, Dipotassium diiodide, EINECS 231-659-4, EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 075701, Joptone (+9 more)
INCI: POTASSIUM IODIDE
Potassium Iodide (CAS 7681-11-0) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Skin conditioning; also used as an oxidizing agent in cosmetics. Reported NOAEL 3 mg/kg bw/day in mink (COSMOS DB); 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.
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Potassium Iodide is classified GHS Danger (H302, H315, H317, H319, H334, H372, H373, H411) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
Skin conditioning; also used as an oxidizing agent in cosmetics
Editorial assessment
MODERATE
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
potassium iodide
InChIKey
NLKNQRATVPKPDG-UHFFFAOYSA-M
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
FDA-approved as OTC drug active (thyroid blocking agent); permitted in cosmetics; also GRAS as food additive
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Potassium Iodide.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
1 study endpoint found for Potassium Iodide. 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 | 3 mg/kg bw/day | oral | mink | Reproductive | COSMOS DB |
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | =1862 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | EFSA |
| LEL | =5 mg/kg-day | Chicken | oral | - | EFSA |
| LEL | =8 mg/kg-day | Pig | oral | - | EFSA |
| LEL | =8 mg/kg-day | Pig | oral | - | EFSA |
| LEL | =5 mg/kg-day | Chicken | oral | - | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =0.5 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =0.5 mg/kg-day | Rabbit | oral | - | EFSA |
| NOAEL | =0.5 mg/kg-day | American Mink | oral | - | EFSA |
| LD50 | =3118 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | =2779 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100 - 1,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Biocide
Flavouring and nutrient
No specific technical function
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Stabilizing agent
Tracer
Regulatory List Membership (1)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Potassium Iodide — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Potassium Iodide by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
1
Lowest NOAEL
3 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
3 mg/kg bw/day
COSMOS DB
Known Synonyms
Caswell No. 694
Dipotassium diiodide
EINECS 231-659-4
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 075701
Joptone
Kali iodide
Kalii iodidum
Potassium diiodide
Tripotassium triiodide
Thyrosafe
Thyroshield
UNII-1C4QK22F9J
Kalium iodatum
KI
Chemical Function
Stabilizing agent
Biocide
No specific technical function
Regulatory Lists
drinking_water; Europe; manufacturing; plastic_additive
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
Europe; supplements
Europe; food_additive; supplements
Europe; plastic_additive
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
Canada; pharmaceutical
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
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.
Compound
POTASSIUM IODIDE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1141
Max Phase
4
Adverse Event Associations
349
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Iodine - Potassium Iodide
Food Category
vitamins_minerals
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Potassium Iodide allowed in the EU?
Potassium Iodide EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Potassium Iodide do in cosmetics?
Potassium Iodide functions as: Skin conditioning; also used as an oxidizing agent in cosmetics. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 7681-11-0.
What is the NOAEL for Potassium Iodide?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Potassium Iodide is 3 mg/kg bw/day based on a Reproductive study via oral route in mink. Source: COSMOS DB.
Is Potassium Iodide used outside cosmetics?
Potassium Iodide 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.
Does Potassium Iodide have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Potassium Iodide is classified GHS Danger (H302, H315, H317, H319, H334, H372, H373, H411) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Potassium Iodide compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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