Dehydroacetic Acid

What Is It?

Dehydroacetic Acid and Sodium Dehydroacetate are tasteless, odorless white powders. In cosmetics and personal care products, Dehydroacetic Acid and Sodium Dehydroacetate are used in the formulation of a wide variety of products, including bath, skin care, suntan, sunscreen, fragrance, shaving, hair and nail care products, as well as eye and facial makeup.

Why Is It Used?

Sodium Dehydroacetate and Dehydroacetic Acid kill microorganisms and prevent their growth and reproduction, thus protecting cosmetics and personal care products from spoilage.

Follow this link for more information about how preservatives protect cosmetics and personal care products.

Scientific Facts

The antimicrobial properties of Dehydroacetic Acid and Sodium Dehydroacetate have led to their widespread use in cosmetics and personal care products. These ingredients are also used as preservatives in glue and cleaning solutions.

Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits Dehydroacetic Acid and Sodium Dehydroacetate to be used as a preservativeIngredients that prevent or retard bacterial growth, and thus protect cosmetic products from spoilage. for cut or peeled squash with the stipulation that no more than 65 ppm expressed as Dehydroacetic Acid remains in or on the treated squash. Dehydroacetic Acid is also included on FDA’s list of indirect food additives for use in adhesives. The safety of Dehydroacetic Acid and Sodium Dehydroacetate been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewThe Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) was established in 1976 as an independent safety review program for cosmetic ingredients. The CIR Expert Panel consists of independent experts in dermatology, toxicology, pharmacolgy and veterinary medicine. The CIR includes participation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Consumer Federation of America. (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Dehydroacetic Acid and Sodium Dehydroacetate were safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use and concentration. In 2003, the CIR Expert Panel considered available new data on Dehydroacetic Acid and Sodium Dehydroacetate and reaffirmed the above conclusion.

CIR Safety Review: The CIR Expert Panel found that Sodium Dehydroacetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, and cosmetics containing these ingredients were practically nonirritating, nonsensitizing, nonphotosensitizing, and nonphototoxic in numerous clinical tests. The CIR Expert Panel noted that Sodium Dehydroacetate and Dehydroacetic Acid are effective antimicrobials at low concentrations (less than and equal to 0.6%) against both bacteria and fungi and that Dehydroacetic Acid has an optimal pHA measurement of the acidity or basicity of a substance. pH is the negative logarithm (base 10) of the concentration of hydrogen ions in solution. Water has a concentration of hydrogen ions of 1.0 x 10-7, and thus has a pH of 7. A pH of 7 is considered neutral, a pH lower than 7 is considered acidic, and a pH higher than 7 is considered basic. range of 2 to 4. These ingredients are more likely to act by preventing the growth of microbes, rather than killing the microbes.

FDA: Link to Code of Federal Regulations for Dehydroacetic Acid and its sodium salt

Dehydroacetic Acid (3-Acetyl-6-methylpyran-2 4[3H]-dione) and its salts, including Sodium Dehydroacetate, are listed in Annex VI, Part 1 (preservative which cosmetic products may contain) of the Cosmetics Directive of the European Union and are authorized for use at a maximum concentration of 0.6%, expressed as the acid, and are prohibited only in aerosol dispensers (sprays).

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…

More Scientific Information

Sodium Dehydroacetate is the sodium salt of Dehydroacetic Acid. These ingredients are used in cosmetics and personal care products as a preservative and antimicrobial agentIngredients that kill microorganisms, or prevent or inhibit their growth and reproduction. In the United States, antimicrobial agents are regulated as Over-The-Counter (OTC) drug ingredients.. The use of preservatives in cosmetics and personal care products is required to prevent product damage caused by microorganisms and to protect the product from inadvertent contamination by the consumer during use.

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration

Food Ingredients and Packaging: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/default.htm

Food Contact Substances: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/defaul…

Substances 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.): http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/default.htm

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/