Is Triethyl Citrate safe in cosmetics?
Triethyl Citrate has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Triethyl Citrate
Also known as: 1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-hydroxy-, triethyl ester, BRN 1801199, EINECS 201-070-7, FEMA No. 3083, Triethyl 2-hydroxy-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylate (+3 more)
INCI: TRIETHYL CITRATE
Triethyl Citrate (CAS 77-93-0) is a cosmetic active ingredient functioning as deodorant active; antimicrobial; pH regulator; fragrance fixative; plasticizer. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max 0.3-1%. 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 77-93-0 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
deodorant active; antimicrobial; pH regulator; fragrance fixative; plasticizer
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
triethyl 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate
InChIKey
DOOTYTYQINUNNV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
0.3-1%
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Cosmetic ingredient; GRAS for food use (FDA); deodorant action via bacterial energy metabolism disruption; cosmetic classification (not OTC drug)
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Triethyl Citrate.
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 eyes and respiratory tract.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its aerosol and by ingestion.
HRIPT Human Patch Test Studies
2 human repeat insult patch tests aggregated from dermatological literature.
| Test Type | N | Sensitized | Dose µg/cm² | NESIL µg/cm² | Potency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HRIPT | 106 | 0 | 25982 | 25982 | non-sensitizer |
| HMT | - | 0 | 13500 | - | - |
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Cosmetic-Specific Mechanism
Category: other
Receptor targets: ERα (limited)
LOEC: 100 µM
EU status: allowed
weak modulator
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1,000 - 10,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE
SVHC Candidate
No
Additional Ingredient Properties
5 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "0.5", "max_concentration_pct": "5.0", "typical_concentration_pct": "2.0", "product_type": "Moisturizer", "function_at_concentration": "Emollient, plasticizer", "source": "CIR Safety Assessment"}
deodorant
{"cas_number": "77-93-0", "ingredient_class": "odor_neutralizer", "mechanism_of_action": "odor_chemical_neutralization", "antiperspirant_efficacy_sweat_reduction_pct": "0", "deodorant_efficacy_hours": "8-12", "odor_reduction_pct": "40-60", "bacteriostatic": "no", "bactericidal": "no", "microbiome_impact": "neutral", "axillary_microbiome_effect": "varies by ingredient", "MIC_value_if_antimicrobial"…
ecotoxicity
{"biodegradable": "yes", "biodegradation_days": "28-60", "bioaccumulative": "no", "aquatic_toxicity_level": "low", "coral_reef_safe": "yes", "marine_toxicity": "low aquatic toxicity", "freshwater_toxicity": "minimal impact", "endocrine_disruptor": "no", "persistent_organic_pollutant": "no", "microplastic": "no", "nano_particle": "no", "hawaii_banned": "no", "eu_restricted_environmental": "no", "pa…
emulsion_hlb
{"hlb_required_as_emulsifier": "no", "hlb_required_of_oil_phase": "12-13", "co_emulsifier_pairs": "polysorbate_80,ceteth_20", "optimal_oil_phase_pct": "8-22", "optimal_water_phase_pct": "78-92", "droplet_size_range_um": "1-18", "creaming_resistance": "good", "coalescence_resistance": "good", "ostwald_ripening_resistance": "moderate", "freeze_thaw_stability": "moderate", "rheology_modifier_type": "…
self_tanning
{"cas_number": "77-93-0", "ingredient_class": "other", "tanning_mechanism": "other", "color_development_onset_hours": "0.0", "full_color_development_hours": "0", "color_duration_days": "0", "DHA_concentration_if_applicable_pct": "0", "erythrulose_concentration_pct": "0", "pH_dependent_color": "no", "formaldehyde_release_concern": "no", "formaldehyde_release_ppm": "0", "AGE_formation_concern": "no"…
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (2)
Carcinogen Classification
No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC).
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
ICSC Safety Card
1350
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Regulatory (3)
JECFA Number
629
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
JECFA Evaluation
ETHYL CITRATE | 2023 | Not evaluated | JECFA requests that updated exposure data (including both MSDI and SPET values) be provided for the flavouring agents citronelloxyacetaldehyde (No. 592), 1,3-nonanediol acetate (No. 605), levulinic acid (No. 606), hydroxycitronellal diethyl acetal (No. 613), diethyl malonate (No. 614), diethyl tartrate (No. 622) and triethyl citrate (No. 629) within 2 years (
Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
EU Food Improvement
Food additives
Source: EU Food Improvement Agents
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Antioxidant
Chelating agent
Deodorizer
Flavouring and nutrient
Fragrance
No specific technical function
Plasticizer
Processing aids not otherwise specified
Solvent
Viscosity modifier
Regulatory List Membership (5)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Triethyl Citrate.
Regulatory Flags
deodorant-active
antimicrobial
krebs-cycle-inhibitor
enzymatic-mechanism
ph-regulator
fragrance-fixative
aluminum-free
microbiome-friendly
cosmetic-classification
gras
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Triethyl Citrate by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
9
Lowest NOAEL
280 mg/kg bw/day
Highest NOAEL
1000 mg/kg bw/day
ECHA_REACH_reach_study_results_dossiers_23-05-2023.zip
Known Synonyms
1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-hydroxy-, triethyl ester
BRN 1801199
EINECS 201-070-7
FEMA No. 3083
Triethyl 2-hydroxy-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylate
Triaethylcitrat
Triethylester kyseliny citronove
UNII-8Z96QXD6UM
Chemical Function
Fragrance
Solvent
Plasticizer
Deodorizer
pH regulating agent
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Australia; Food and drug - smoking-related products
Europe; plastic_additive
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
detected; MN Chemical Screening; surface_water
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
IFRA Transparency
Europe
food_additive; Substances Added to Food (formerly EAFUS) (2/2019)
SCIL (9/2019)
consumer_product
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
detected; drinking_water; MN Chemical Screening
detected; MN Chemical Screening; surface_water
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
TRIETHYL CITRATE
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL464988
Max Phase
-1
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Triethyl Citrate allowed in the EU?
Triethyl Citrate EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.3-1%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Triethyl Citrate do in cosmetics?
Triethyl Citrate functions as: deodorant active; antimicrobial; pH regulator; fragrance fixative; plasticizer. It is classified as a Active Ingredient in our database. CAS number: 77-93-0.
Is Triethyl Citrate used outside cosmetics?
Triethyl Citrate 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 Triethyl Citrate 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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