Excellent Cosmetic Ingredient NOAEL Data Dermal Penetration

Xanthan Gum

INCI: XANTHAN GUM

CAS Number
11138-66-2
Function
Rheology modifier, thickener, stabilizer, suspending agent
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status permitted
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes GRAS for food (FDA); CIR-assessed safe. No use restriction.

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
negligible
Sensitization
none

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Toxicological Studies

10 study endpoints found for Xanthan Gum. 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 1000 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Carcinogenicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 500 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Multigeneration Reproductive COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 500 mg/kg bw/day oral dog Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 2000 mg/kg bw/day oral dog Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 500 mg/kg bw/day oral dog Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 1000 mg/kg bw/day oral dog Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 2000 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Carcinogenicity COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 1000 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Chronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 3250 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Subchronic COSMOS_DB
NOAEL 7500 mg/kg bw/day oral rat Subchronic COSMOS_DB

Dermal Penetration Profile

Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Xanthan Gum, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.

Absorption %
0%
Penetration Level
surface
Penetration Depth
surface only
Molecular Weight
Variable Da
Log P
n/a
Systemic Absorption
no
Topical Bioavailability
0%
Safety Margin Factor
none

Source: CIR

Expert Verdict

The benchmark natural thickener with exceptional pH stability (2-12), excellent salt tolerance, and outstanding particle suspension. Pseudoplastic/shear-thinning properties prevent sedimentation at rest while enabling easy spreading under shear. Fully biodegradable and COSMOS/ECOCERT compliant. Best used at 0.1-1.0% in synergistic blends with locust bean gum or sclerotium gum.

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Concern Level: None

Regulatory Flags

eu-compliant biodegradable reach-spm-exempt natural-polymer cosmos-eligible ecocert gras particle-suspension electrolyte-tolerant carbomer-alternative synergistic-with-locust-bean-gum synergistic-with-sclerotium-gum eu_children_restricted epa_safer_alternative ifra_fragrance fda_food_additive jecfa_safe

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Xanthan Gum safe in cosmetics?

The benchmark natural thickener with exceptional pH stability (2-12), excellent salt tolerance, and outstanding particle suspension. Pseudoplastic/shear-thinning properties prevent sedimentation at rest while enabling easy spreading under shear. Fully biodegradable and COSMOS/ECOCERT compliant. Best used at 0.1-1.0% in synergistic blends with locust bean gum or sclerotium gum. The EU classifies Xanthan Gum as "permitted". Safety rating: EXCELLENT. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.

Is Xanthan Gum allowed in the EU?

Xanthan Gum EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Xanthan Gum do in cosmetics?

Xanthan Gum functions as: Rheology modifier, thickener, stabilizer, suspending agent. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 11138-66-2.

What is the Margin of Safety for Xanthan Gum?

adequate The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

What is the NOAEL for Xanthan Gum?

The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Xanthan Gum is 1000 mg/kg bw/day based on a Carcinogenicity study via oral route in rat. A total of 10 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.

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