Menthol
What Is It?
Menthol is an alcoholAlcohols are a large class of important cosmetic ingredients but only ethanol needs to be denatured to prevent it from being redirected from cosmetic applications to alcoholic beverages. that can be isolated from peppermint or other mint oils. It is used in the formulation of a wide variety of cosmetics and personal care products.
Why Is It Used?
Menthol is used as a denaturantIngredients added to ethyl alcohol (grain alcohol) to make it unsuitable for drinking, usually by imparting an intensely bitter taste. In the United States, the use of denaturants are controlled by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in the Department of Treasury., flavoring agentIngredients that impart a flavor or a taste to a product. and fragrance ingredientSubstances that impart an odor to a product..
Scientific Facts
Menthol is obtained from peppermint oil or other mint oils or prepared synthetically. It has a peppermint taste and odor. Menthol has anesthetic properties and is widely used to relieve minor sore throat irritation. Mentha arvenis is the primary species of mint used to make natural menthol crystals and natural menthol flakes.
Safety Information
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes Menthol on its list of substances considered Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS“GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive.) for use in food. It is also an approved direct food additive. The FDA has also determined that Menthol is safe and effective in Over-The-Counter (OTC) cold drug products as a topical antitussive, and in OTC anorectal drug products as an analgesic, anestethic and antipruritic.
Menthol was not to be genotoxic or carcinogenic in studies by the National Toxicology Program of the United States.
Link to FDA Code of Federal Regulations for Menthol Food additives
- Essential Oils
- Synthetic Flavoring Substances and Adjuvants
- Antitussive Active Ingredients
- Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Antipruritic Active Ingredients
Menthol may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European Union.
More Scientific Information
Menthol is a covalent organic compoundA compound that contains carbon and hydrogen and usually other elements such as nitrogen, sulfur and oxygen. made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or other mint oils. It is a waxy, crystalline substance, clear or white in color, which is solid at room temperature and melts at temperatures slightly above room temperature. The main form of menthol occurring in nature is (-)-menthol. Menthol has local anesthetic and counterirritant qualities. Menthol’s ability to chemically trigger cold-sensitive receptors in the skin is responsible for the well known cooling sensation that it provokes when inhaled, eaten, or applied to the skin. Menthol does not cause an actual drop in temperature.
Resources
Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration
- Food Ingredients and Packaging
- Food Contact Substances
- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)
Find out more about the regulation of over-the-counter drugs by the Food and Drug Administration