BENZOIC ACID
Fragrance Ingredient; pH Adjuster; Preservative; BULKING; MASKING
BENZOIC ACID may be an impurity the following product types:
sunscreen: SPF greater than 30 (150)
sunscreen: moisturizer (128)
facial moisturizer/treatment (114)
sunscreen: SPF 15-30 (107)
fragrance for women (58)
anti-aging (51)
moisturizer (34)
body spray (21)
lip gloss (21)
fragrance for men (20)
sunless tanning (20)
Also listed as
BENZENECARBOXYLIC ACID; BENZENEFORMIC ACID; BENZENEMETHANOIC ACID; CARBOXYBENZENE; DRACYCLIC ACID; PHENYLCARBOXYLIC ACID; PHENYLFORMIC ACID; BENZOIC ACID,; ACIDE BENZOIQUE (FRENCH) ; ACIDO BENZOICO (ITALIAN) ; BENZENECARBOXYLIC ACID
Given the incomplete information made available by companies and the government, EWG provides additional information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature. The chart below indicates that research studies have found that exposure to this ingredient -- not the products containing it -- caused the indicated health effect(s) in the studies reviewed by Skin Deep researchers. Actual health risks, if any, will vary based on the level of exposure to the ingredient and individual susceptibility -- information not available in Skin Deep.
| This ingredient: | |
 | Cancer |
 | Developmental/reproductive toxicity |
 | Restrictions & warnings |
| Allergies/immunotoxicity |
| Contamination concerns |
| Other moderate concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs) |
| Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Neurotoxicity, Data gaps |
|
See products containing BENZOIC ACID See ingredients that may have BENZOIC ACID as an impurity See products that may have BENZOIC ACID as an impurity | |
About BENZOIC ACID: Benzoic Acid is an aromatic acid.
This ingredient may be derived from animals. From PETA's Caring Consumer: In almost all vertebrates and in berries. Used as a preservative in mouthwashes, deodorants, creams, aftershave lotions, etc. Alternatives: cranberries, gum benzoin (tincture) from the aromatic balsamic resin from trees grown in China, Sumatra, Thailand, and Cambodia.
BENZOIC ACID has reported used in the following product types: moisturizer (50); facial moisturizer/treatment (47); lipstick (41); anti-aging (37); body wash/cleanser (36); mouthwash (33); lip gloss (32); foundation (32); facial cleanser (25); hand cream (24)
Restrictions & warnings
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Restricted in cosmetics (recommendations or requirements) - use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Japan - restricted for use in cosmetics (concentration limit) | Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | |
| Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show sense organ effects at very low doses | products for use around the eyes, mouth, or lips | RTECS®- BIOFAX Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories, Inc 1973 |
| show more | ||
Neurotoxicity
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show brain, nervous system, or behavioral effects at moderate doses | RTECS®- Iyakuhin Kenkyu 1984 |
Cancer
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 1982 | |
| show more | ||
Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show skin irritation at low doses | RTECS®- "Cutaneous Toxicity, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference, 1976," Drill, V 1977 | |
| show more | ||
Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Safety unknown for products that may be inhaled | products that may be aerosolized (airborne) | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
| Insufficient data to determine safety | EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) | |
| 3,217 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | PubMed |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food | |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| FDA Food Additive Status | BENZOIC ACID | • Food additive: chemical preservative • GRAS (generally recognized as safe) - use in food presumed safe based either on a history of use before 1958 or on published scientific evidence; need not be approved by the FDA prior to use in food; most have not limit for use but must conform to good manufacturing practices; some GRAS substances have quantitative limit for use in foods; by definition under Sec 201(s) of FD&C Act, not food additives • 0.1% |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | BENZOIC ACID | • o |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | BENZOIC ACID | •Safe for use in cosmetics with some qualifications •Determined safe for use in cosmetics up to a specified concentration limit •Insufficient data to determine safety of products where ingredients are likely to be inhaled • • |
| EPA Water Disinfection By-Products Carcinogenicity | BENZOIC ACID | •Low concern for potential carcinogenicity |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | BENZOIC ACID | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | BENZOIC ACID | •This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for as a low human health priority. |
| EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) | BENZOIC ACID | •Group D: Not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity (EPA classification) |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | BENZOIC ACID | •The chemical has been reported as used in fragrance compounds by IFRA affiliated member companies in 2008. |
| Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | BENZOIC ACID | •Japan - restricted for use in cosmetics (concentration limit) |
| Harvell, J, 1994 | BENZOIC ACID | •Skin or sense organ toxicity hazards: suspected |
| RTECS®- "Cutaneous Toxicity, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference, 1976," Drill, V 1977 | BENZOIC ACID | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- "Handbook of Toxicology," 4 vols 1959 | BENZOIC ACID | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (frog LDLo) |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1984 | BENZOIC ACID | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1984 | BENZOIC ACID | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Acta Physiologica Polonica 1961 | BENZOIC ACID | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (rat LD50) |
| RTECS®- BIOFAX Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories, Inc 1973 | BENZOIC ACID | • sense organ - Primary eye irritant (rabbit ) • skin - Primary skin irritant (rabbit ) |
| RTECS®- Bollettino Chimico Farmaceutico 1973 | BENZOIC ACID | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (rat LD50) |
| RTECS®- Comptes Rendus des Seances de la Societe de Biologie et de Ses Filiales 1966 | BENZOIC ACID | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50) |
| RTECS®- Contact Dermatitis 1995 | BENZOIC ACID | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Contact Dermatitis 1995 | BENZOIC ACID | • skin - Primary skin irritant ( human ) |
| RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology 2008 | BENZOIC ACID | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: other mutation test systems (Drosophila melanogaster orl) |
| RTECS®- International Polymer Science and Technology 1976 | BENZOIC ACID | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (rat LD50) |
| RTECS®- Iyakuhin Kenkyu 1984 | BENZOIC ACID | • gastrointestinal - Other changes (mouse LD50) • respiratory - Respiratory depression (mouse LD50) • brain, nervous system, or behavioral effect - Somnolence (general depressed activity) (mouse LD50) |
| RTECS®- Journal of Allergy 1945 | BENZOIC ACID | • skin - Dermatitis, allergic ( human TDLo) • respiratory - Dyspnea ( human TDLo) |
| RTECS®- Muenchener Medicinische Wochenschrift 1930 | BENZOIC ACID | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (guinea pig LDLo) |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 1982 | BENZOIC ACID | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Inhibition ( human lym) |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 1982 | BENZOIC ACID | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Inhibition ( human lym) |
| RTECS®- Zentralblatt fuer Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene, Abteilung II 1959 | BENZOIC ACID | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (Escherichia coli ) |
| RTECS®- Zentralblatt fuer Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene, Abteilung II 1959 | BENZOIC ACID | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Mutation in Micro-organism (Escherichia coli ) |
references
| government/industry list/academic study | reference |
| FDA Food Additive Status | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006. |
| Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics | AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation. |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| EPA Water Disinfection By-Products Carcinogenicity | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2006. EPA Water Disinfection By-Products with Carcinogenicity Estimates. Last updated: 10 April 2006. |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. |
| Environment Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) | EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2008. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Evidence for human carcinogenicity based on 1986-2005 guidelines. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25 |
| Japan's Standards for Cosmetics | Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. 2006. Standards for Cosmetics. Evaluation and Licensing Division. Pharmaceutical and Food Safety Bureau. |
| Scorecard.org Toxicity Information | Harvell, J., M. Bason and H. Maibach. Contact Urticaria and its Mechanisms. Food Chemistry and Toxicology 32(2): 103-112. 1994. (Table 2: Substances identified as capable of causing contact urticaria)., National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances. See Environmental Defense's Suspect Hazard Identification documentation. |
| RTECS®- "Cutaneous Toxicity, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference, 1976," Drill, V 1977 | RTECS®- "Cutaneous Toxicity, Proceedings of the 3rd Conference, 1976," Drill, V.A., and P. Lazar, eds., New York, Academic Press, Inc. 1977 -,127,1977 |
| RTECS®- "Handbook of Toxicology," 4 vols 1959 | RTECS®- "Handbook of Toxicology," 4 vols., Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders Co., 1956-59 5,23,1959 |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1984 | RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica. (Almqvist & Wiksell, POB 45150, S-10430 Stockholm, Sweden) V.1- 1920- 26,734,1984 |
| RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica 1984 | RTECS®- Acta Dermato-Venereologica. (Almqvist & Wiksell, POB 45150, S-10430 Stockholm, Sweden) V.1- -1920 26,734,1984 |
| RTECS®- Acta Physiologica Polonica 1961 | RTECS®- Acta Physiologica Polonica. (Karger-Libri, POB CH-4009, Warszawa, Switzerland) V.1-41, 1950-90. 12,173,1961 |
| RTECS®- BIOFAX Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories, Inc 1973 | RTECS®- BIOFAX Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories, Inc., Data Sheets. (1810 Frontage Rd., Northbrook, IL 60062) 28-4/1973 |
| RTECS®- Bollettino Chimico Farmaceutico 1973 | RTECS®- Bollettino Chimico Farmaceutico. (Societa Editoriale Farmaceutica, Via Ausonio 12, 20123 Milan, Italy) V.33- 1894- 112,53,1973 |
| RTECS®- Comptes Rendus des Seances de la Societe de Biologie et de Ses Filiales 1966 | RTECS®- Comptes Rendus des Seances de la Societe de Biologie et de Ses Filiales. (SPPIF, B.P.22, F-41353 Vineuil, France) V.1- 1849- 160,1097,1966 |
| RTECS®- Contact Dermatitis 1995 | RTECS®- Contact Dermatitis. Environmental and Occupational Dermatitis. (Munksgaard International Pub., c/o Publications Expediting Inc., 200 Meacham Ave., Elmont, NY 11003) V.1- 1975- 33,177,1995 |
| RTECS®- Contact Dermatitis 1995 | RTECS®- Contact Dermatitis. Environmental and Occupational Dermatitis. (Munksgaard International Pub., c/o Publications Expediting Inc., 200 Meacham Ave., Elmont, NY 11003) V.1- 33,177,1995 |
| RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology 2008 | RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology. (Pergamon Press Inc., Maxwell House, Fairview Park, Elmsford, NY 10523) V.20- 46,1034,2008 |
| RTECS®- International Polymer Science and Technology 1976 | RTECS®- International Polymer Science and Technology. (Rapra Technology Ltd., Shawbury, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY4 4NR, UK) 3,93,1976 |
| RTECS®- Iyakuhin Kenkyu 1984 | RTECS®- Iyakuhin Kenkyu. Study of Medical Supplies. (Nippon Koteisho Kyokai, 12-15, 2-chome, Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150, Japan) V.1- 1970- 15,359,1984 |
| RTECS®- Journal of Allergy 1945 | RTECS®- Journal of Allergy. (St. Louis, MO) V.1-47, 1929-71. For publisher information, see JACIBY. 16,195,1945 |
| RTECS®- Muenchener Medicinische Wochenschrift 1930 | RTECS®- Muenchener Medicinische Wochenschrift. (Munich, Fed. Rep. Ger.) V.33-115, 1886-1973. 77,13,1930 |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 1982 | RTECS®- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. (National Academy of Sciences, Printing & Pub. Office, 2101 Constitution Ave., Washington, DC 20418) V.1- 1915- 79,1171,1982 |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 1982 | RTECS®- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. (National Academy of Sciences, Printing & Pub. Office, 2101 Constitution Ave., Washington, DC 20418) V.1- 79,1171,1982 |
| RTECS®- Zentralblatt fuer Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene, Abteilung II 1959 | RTECS®- Zentralblatt fuer Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene, Abteilung II. Naturwissenschaftliche: Allgemeine, Landwirtschaftliche und Technische Mikrobiologie. (Jena, Ger. Dem. Rep.) V.107-132, 1952-77. 112,226,1959 |
| RTECS®- Zentralblatt fuer Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene, Abteilung II 1959 | RTECS®- Zentralblatt fuer Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene, Abteilung II. Naturwissenschaftliche: Allgemeine, Landwirtschaftliche und Technische Mikrobiologie. (Jena, Ger. Dem. Rep.) V.107-132, 1952-77. 112,226,1959 |
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