Is Sodium Formate safe in cosmetics?
Sodium Formate has a safety rating of "GOOD" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 3 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Sodium Formate
Also known as: EINECS 205-488-0, FORMIC ACID, NA SALT, NSC 77457, Salachlor, Mravencan sodny (+3 more)
INCI: SODIUM FORMATE
Sodium Formate (CAS 141-53-7) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Preservative (primarily used as a preservative in cosmetic raw materials such. Reported NOAEL =750 mg/kg bw/day in Mouse (ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID); 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.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 141-53-7 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Preservative (primarily used as a preservative in cosmetic raw materials such as surfactants)
Safety Rating
GOOD
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
sodium formate
InChIKey
HLBBKKJFGFRGMU-UHFFFAOYSA-M
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Permitted for cosmetic use; no specific restrictions under FDA cosmetic regulations
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Sodium Formate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
3 study endpoints found for Sodium Formate. 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 | =750 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Mouse | reproduction developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =945 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg bw/day | oral | Rat | reproduction developmental | ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID |
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 eyes and respiratory tract.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its aerosol.
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
100,000 - 1,000,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE; GROUP
SVHC Candidate
No
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (1)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| BR | permitted_preservative | 0.5 | 0.5% as formic acid |
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (1)
ICSC Safety Card
1165
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Chelating agent
Preservative
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Stabilizing agent
pH regulating agent
Regulatory List Membership (2)
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Sodium Formate.
Regulatory Flags
preservative
epa_safer_alternative
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Sodium Formate by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
18
Lowest NOAEL
400 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
3000 mg/kg bw/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Known Synonyms
EINECS 205-488-0
FORMIC ACID, NA SALT
NSC 77457
Salachlor
Mravencan sodny
UNII-387AD98770
Sodium methanoate
sodium formiate
Chemical Function
Stabilizing agent
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
Europe; Personal care - hair styling and care - shampoo-dandruff
Europe; Personal care - hair styling and care - shampoo-dandruff
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
SCIL (9/2019)
Cleaning products and household care - laundry and fabric treatment - laundry detergent; Europe
Cleaning products and household care - dishwasher and dishes - automatic dishwashing detergent; Europe
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.
Compound
SODIUM FORMATE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL183491
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sodium Formate allowed in the EU?
Sodium Formate EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Sodium Formate do in cosmetics?
Sodium Formate functions as: Preservative (primarily used as a preservative in cosmetic raw materials such as surfactants). It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 141-53-7.
What is the NOAEL for Sodium Formate?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Sodium Formate is =750 mg/kg bw/day based on a reproduction developmental study via oral route in Mouse. A total of 3 study endpoints are available. Source: ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID.
Is Sodium Formate used outside cosmetics?
Sodium Formate 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.
Compliance Tools
Check Sodium Formate 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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