TOCOPHERYL ACETATE
Antioxidant; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Miscellaneous; SKIN CONDITIONING
Also listed as
3,4-DIHYDRO-2,5,7,8-TETRAMETHYL-2- (4,8,12-TRIMETHYLTRIDECYL-2H-BENZOPYRAN-6-OL, ACETATE; D-A-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE; D-ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE; DL-A -TOCOPHERYL ACETATE; DL-ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE; VITAMIN E ACETATE; ACETATE 3,4-DIHYDRO-2,5,7,8-TETRAMETHYL-2- (4,8,12-TRIMETHYLTRIDECYL-2H-BENZOPYRAN-6-OL; TOCOPHEROL ACETATE; TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, DL-ALPHA; ALPHA-TOCOPHERYL ACETATE; DL-ALPHA TOCOPHERYL ACETATE
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 - HYDROQUINONE |
| Lesser or emerging concerns for this ingredient: Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Ecotoxicology, Data gaps |
|
See products containing TOCOPHERYL ACETATE | |
About TOCOPHERYL ACETATE: Tocopheryl Acetate is the ester of Tocopherol (q.v.) and acetic acid.
TOCOPHERYL ACETATE has reported used in the following product types: facial moisturizer/treatment (1635); lipstick (1209); moisturizer (1202); anti-aging (1014); lip gloss (773); foundation (651); sunscreen: SPF 15-30 (595); sunscreen: makeup (531); conditioner (490); facial cleanser (407)
Allergies/immunotoxicity
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Human skin toxicant - strong evidence | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
Cancer
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results | RTECS®- Cancer Letters (Shannon, Ireland) 1984 | |
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Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| One or more animal studies show broad systemic effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | RTECS®- International Journal of Toxicology (Continous: Journal of the American College of Toxicology,Taylor & Francis Health Sciences) V 2002 | |
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Ecotoxicology
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Suspected to be an environmental toxin and be persistent or bioaccumulative (uncertainty in environmental toxicity or persistence/bioaccumulation) | Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | |
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Data gaps
| type of concern | product conditions | reference |
| Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
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 bioaccumulative | Environmental 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 | TOCOPHEROL ACETATE | • DS/NUTR • 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 - CFR182.5892; 182.8892 |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | TOCOPHERYL ACETATE | •Safe as used in cosmetics according to industry panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) •Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product •May contain harmful impurities •Sensitizer - can instigate immune system response that can include itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin |
| FDA Everything Added to Food | ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL ACETATE | • Fully up-to-date toxicology information has been sought. |
| Environmental Canada Domestic Substance List | 2H-1-BENZOPYRAN-6-OL, 3,4-DIHYDRO-2,5,7,8-TETRAMETHYL- 2-(4,8,12-TRIMETHYLTRIDECYL)-, ACETATE, [2R-[2R(4R,8R)]]- | •This chemical was deemed a low human health priority and was NOT flagged by CEPA for further attention. The chemical was flagged for suspected persistence, and uncertain aquatic toxicity. |
| Gensler HL, Aickin M, Peng YM, Xu M, 1996 | TOCOPHERYL ACETATE | tocopheryl acetate enhanced photocarcinogenesis in an animal study |
| RTECS®- Cancer Letters (Shannon, Ireland) 1984 | TOCOPHERYL ACETATE | • mutagenic - Positive mutation assay: DNA Damage (rat ipr) |
| RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology 1986 | TOCOPHERYL ACETATE | • liver - Changes in liver weight (rat TDLo) • blood - Changes in other cell count (unspecified) (rat TDLo) • blood - Pigmented or nucleated red blood cells (rat TDLo) |
| RTECS®- International Journal of Toxicology (Continous: Journal of the American College of Toxicology,Taylor & Francis Health Sciences) V 2002 | TOCOPHERYL ACETATE | • broad systemic - Broad systemic toxicity (rat LD50) |
| RTECS®- Japanese Journal of Cancer Research 1991 | TOCOPHERYL ACETATE | • cancer - Tumors at site of application (rat TDLo) |
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. |
| Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments | CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC. |
| 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. |
| Open scientific literature | Gensler HL, Aickin M, Peng YM, Xu M. 1996. Importance of the form of topical vitamin E for prevention of photocarcinogenesis. Nutr Cancer 26(2): 183-91. |
| RTECS®- Cancer Letters (Shannon, Ireland) 1984 | RTECS®- Cancer Letters (Shannon, Ireland). (Elsevier Scientific Pub. Ireland Ltd., POB 85, Limerick, Ireland) V.1- 25,163,1984 |
| RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology 1986 | RTECS®- Food and Chemical Toxicology. (Pergamon Press Inc., Maxwell House, Fairview Park, Elmsford, NY 10523) V.20- 1982- 24,1043,1986 |
| RTECS®- International Journal of Toxicology (Continous: Journal of the American College of Toxicology,Taylor & Francis Health Sciences) V 2002 | RTECS®- International Journal of Toxicology (Continous: Journal of the American College of Toxicology,Taylor & Francis Health Sciences) V.16- 1997- 21,51,2002 |
| RTECS®- Japanese Journal of Cancer Research 1991 | RTECS®- Japanese Journal of Cancer Research. (Elsevier Science Pub. BV, POB 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands) V.76- 1985- 82,511,1991 |
"RTECS®" is a United States trademark owned and licensed under authority of the U.S. Government, by and through MDL Information Systems, Inc.
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