SORBITOL
Flavoring Agent; Fragrance Ingredient; Humectant; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Humectant; PLASTICISER; SKIN CONDITIONING
Also listed as
D-GLUCITOL; D-SORBITOL; SORBITOL SOLUTION; SORBITOL SOLUTION, 70%; DGLUCITOL; CHOLAXINE; D-GLUCITOL; D-SORBITOL; DIAKARMON; GULITOL; L-GULITOL
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 |
| Violations, restrictions & warnings |
| Allergies/immunotoxicity |
| Contamination concerns |
| Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Data gaps |
|
See products containing SORBITOL | |
About SORBITOL: Sorbitol is the hexahydric alcohol.
SORBITOL has reported used in the following product types: toothpaste (478); hair color and bleaching (375); facial moisturizer/treatment (344); moisturizer (212); tooth whitening (189); facial cleanser (187); anti-aging (165); styling gel/lotion (128); bar soap (116); body wash/cleanser (104)
Cancer
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Mutation Research 1987 |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show broad systemic effects at high doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series 1974 | |
| show more | ||
Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not assessed for safety in cosmetics by industry panel | ||
| 1,726 studies on toxicity in PubMed see search results -> | PubMed |
Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List |
Multiple, additive exposure sources
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Food Additive Status | |
| Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food | FDA Everything Added to Food |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Not suspected to be persistent | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
| show more | ||
Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
| government/industry list/academic study | appears on list as | classification(s) |
| FDA Food Additive Status | SORBITOL | • miscellaneous • 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 • Food additive: must be in accordance with good manufacturing practices, or sufficient for purpose; or in quantity not greater than required • See Food additive: food additive for which a petition has been filed and a regulation issued - CFR184.1835 • 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 • Migrate to food from paper and paperboard prods -182.90 |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | D-SORBITOL | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | D-GLUCITOL | •This chemical was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for as a low human health priority. |
| IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List | D-GLUCITOL | •The chemical has been reported as used in fragrance compounds by IFRA affiliated member companies in 2008. |
| RTECS®- American Journal of Digestive Diseases 1978 | SORBITOL | • gastrointestinal - Hypermotility, diarrhea (woman TDLo) |
| RTECS®- Drugs in Japan (Ethical Drugs) 1990 | SORBITOL | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50) |
| RTECS®- FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series 1974 | SORBITOL | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (rat LD50) |
| RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology 1999 | SORBITOL | • gastrointestinal - Other changes ( human TDLo) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1987 | SORBITOL | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (hamster ovr) |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1987 | SORBITOL | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: Cytogenetic Analysis (hamster ovr) |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine 1936 | SORBITOL | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50) |
| RTECS®- Yakkyoku 1981 | SORBITOL | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (mouse LD50) |
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. |
| 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. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| 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 |
| RTECS®- American Journal of Digestive Diseases 1978 | RTECS®- American Journal of Digestive Diseases. (New York, NY) V.5-22, 1938-55; New series: V.1-23, 1956-78. For publisher information, see DDSCDJ. 23,568,1978 |
| RTECS®- Drugs in Japan (Ethical Drugs) 1990 | RTECS®- Drugs in Japan (Ethical Drugs). (Yakugyo Jiho Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) -,607,1990 |
| RTECS®- FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series 1974 | RTECS®- FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series. (Rome, Italy) No.?-57, 1948-77. Discontinued. 53A,498,1974 |
| RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology 1999 | RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology. (Pergamon Press Inc., Maxwell House, Fairview Park, Elmsford, NY 10523) V.20- 1982- 37,233,1999 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1987 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- 189,15,1987 |
| RTECS®- Mutation Research 1987 | RTECS®- Mutation Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. B.V., POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.1- -1964 189,15,1987 |
| RTECS®- Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine 1936 | RTECS®- Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. (Academic Press, Inc., 1 E. First St., Duluth, MN 55802) V.1- 1903/04- 35,98,1936 |
| RTECS®- Yakkyoku 1981 | RTECS®- Yakkyoku. Pharmacy. (Nanzando, 4-1-11, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan) V.1- 1950- 32,1367,1981 |
"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.
Copyright © 2010 by Environmental Working Group
All rights reserved.
Favorites basket
No items in basket.
Skin Deep User Tools BETA
Looking for a product report that we don't have in Skin Deep? Sign up to enter it into the Skin Deep database and leave product reviews.
SKIN DEEP NEEDS YOUR HELP
We always want Skin Deep to be free to the public, but delivering high-quality research costs time and money. Help by donating just the cost of a bar of soap or bottle of shampoo.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Stay informed with email updates on toxics in everyday products and how they can affect your health.
SKIN DEEP NEWS
'I just wanted to let you know how much Skin Deep has changed my daughter's (and my) life.'
—Melissa M., Michigan