Is Tartaric Acid safe in cosmetics?
Tartaric Acid has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 6 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Tartaric Acid
Also known as: L-(+)-Tartaric acid, d-alpha,beta-Dihydroxysuccinic acid, EINECS 201-766-0, Kyselina 2,3-dihydroxybutandiova, Kyselina vinna (+15 more)
INCI: TARTARIC ACID
Tartaric Acid (CAS 87-69-4) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Dicarboxylic AHA (from grapes/wine). Historically significant as an AHA but. NOAEL 225 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against 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, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Tartaric Acid is classified GHS Danger (H302, H315, H317, H318, H319, H335) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu status; Chemicals: ghs classifications.signal word/hazard statement code
Function
Dicarboxylic AHA (from grapes/wine). Historically significant as an AHA but less stable than glycolic or lactic acid, making it uncommon as a primary exfoliant in modern formulations. More frequently employed as a pH adjuster, chelating agent, and mild exfoliating co-ingredient in combination peels. Contributes synergistic exfoliation in combination acid peels.
Editorial assessment
EXCELLENT
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Included within CIR AHA class assessment. Also GRAS as food additive. Typically used at low concentrations as pH buffer and formulation stabiliser.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Tartaric Acid.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
6 study endpoints found for Tartaric 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 | 181 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 215 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rabbit | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 225 mg/kg bw/day | oral | hamster | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 274 mg/kg bw/day | oral | mouse | Developmental | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 990 mg/kg bw/day | oral | dog | Subchronic | COSMOS DB |
| NOAEL | 1200 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Chronic | COSMOS DB |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Tartaric Acid across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
Dermal Penetration Profile
Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Tartaric Acid, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.
Absorption %
4-8%
Penetration Level
surface
Penetration Depth
stratum corneum
Molecular Weight
150.1 Da
Log P
-1.92
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
2-5%
Safety Margin Factor
low
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation
Source: CIR Expert Panel
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | =3100 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | chronic | EFSA |
| ADI | <=30 mg/kg | Human | oral | - | WHO/JECFA |
| LD50 | >2000 mg/kg | Rat | dermal | acute | ECHA |
| LD50 | ~4109 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | >5000 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | >5000 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | =4109 mg/kg | Mouse | oral | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | =920 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | >2000 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
| LD50 | ~920 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA |
Sensitization AOP Dashboard
Adverse Outcome Pathway data across 5 assays (DPRA, KeratinoSens, hCLAT, LLNA, NESIL) aggregated from public sources.
DPRA Cys %
5.2%
DPRA Lys %
-0.4%
KeratinoSens IC50
1035.1 µM
hCLAT CV75
416.7 µg/mL
GHS: inconclusive
Source: DPRA: Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013] | Jaworska 2011 [DOI:10.1002/jat.2869]; KS: Emter et al. 2010 [DOI:10.1016/j.taap.2010.03.009] | Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013]; hCLAT: Bauch et al. 2012 [DOI:10.1016/j.yrtph.2012.05.013]
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10,000 - 100,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | restricted | 6 | Rinse-off and leave-on products |
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Anti-caking agent
Anti-streaking agent
Deodorizer
Drier
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
Humectant
Leavening agent
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Stabilizing agent
Regulatory List Membership (5)
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Tartaric Acid — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Regulatory Flags
natural-origin
chelating
ph-adjuster-primary
mild-exfoliant
dicarboxylic
formulation-stability-limited
eu_children_restricted
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Tartaric Acid by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
6
Lowest NOAEL
181 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
1200 mg/kg bw/day
COSMOS DB
Known Synonyms
L-(+)-Tartaric acid
d-alpha,beta-Dihydroxysuccinic acid
EINECS 201-766-0
Kyselina 2,3-dihydroxybutandiova
Kyselina vinna
UNII-W4888I119H
(+)-Weinsaeure
(+)-tartarate
(1R,2R)-1,2-Dihydroxyethane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid
(2R,3R)-2,3-Dihydroxybernsteinsaeure
(2R,3R)-2,3-dihydroxybutanedioate
(2R,3R)-2,3-tartaric acid
(2R,3R)-Tartarate
(R,R)-tartarate
(R,R)-tartaric acid
2,3-Dihydroxy-succinate
2,3-Dihydroxy-succinic acid
2,3-Dihydroxybutanedioate
2,3-Dihydroxysuccinic acid
D-Tartaric acid
Chemical Function
pH regulating agent
Deodorizer
Fragrance
Anti-streaking agent
Regulatory Lists
active_ingredient; Europe; Pesticides
IFRA Transparency
consumer_product
pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
Canada; pharmaceutical
active_ingredient; Australia
drinking_water; Europe; manufacturing; plastic_additive
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
children; Europe; Personal care
children; Europe; Personal care - specialized bath products - bath salts
children; Europe; Personal care - general moisturizing - hand/body lotion
animal_products
SCIL (9/2019)
consumer_product
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
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
TARTARIC ACID
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL1236315
Max Phase
4
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Tartaric acid
E Number
E334
ADI
30 mg/kg bw
Food Category
preservative
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tartaric Acid allowed in the EU?
Tartaric Acid EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Tartaric Acid do in cosmetics?
Tartaric Acid functions as: Dicarboxylic AHA (from grapes/wine). Historically significant as an AHA but less stable than glycolic or lactic acid, making it uncommon as a primary exfoliant in modern formulations. More frequently employed as a pH adjuster, chelating agent, and mild exfoliating co-ingredient in combination peels. Contributes synergistic exfoliation in combination acid peels.. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 87-69-4.
What is the NOAEL for Tartaric Acid?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Tartaric Acid is 181 mg/kg bw/day based on a Developmental study via oral route in rat. A total of 6 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS DB.
Is Tartaric Acid used outside cosmetics?
Tartaric Acid 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 Tartaric Acid have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Tartaric Acid is classified GHS Danger (H302, H315, H317, H318, H319, H335) in the chemicals database but is allowed in EU cosmetics.
Compliance Tools
Check Tartaric Acid 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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