Zinc Myristate
Safety Information
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) permits fatty acids, including myristic acid to be directly added to food.
Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety
The safety of myristic acid and its salts and esters (aluminum dimyristate, aluminum isostearates/myristate, aluminum myristate, aluminum myristates/palmitates, calcium myristate, magnesium myristate, potassium myristate, sodium myristate, zinc myristate, butyl myristate, cetyl myristate, decyl myristate, ethylhexyl myristate, ethyl myristate, glyceryl dimyristate, glyceryl isostearate/myristate, glyceryl myristate, isobutyl myristate, isocetyl myristate, isodecyl myristate, isopropyl myristate, isostearyl myristate, isotridecyl myristate, lauryl myristate, methyl myristate, myristyl myristate, octyldodecyl myristate, oleyl myristate, propylene glycol myristate, tetradecyloctadecyl myristate, tridecyl myristate) has been assessed by the Expert Panel. The Expert Panel concluded that myristic acid and its salts and esters were safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use and concentration.
The Expert Panel recognizes that the salts of myristic acid dissociate to form myristic acid and esters of myristic acid are hydrolyzed to their corresponding alcohols and myristic acid which are then further metabolized. Myristic acid is a digestible constituent of most vegetable and animal fats and is nontoxic when ingested. Following oral exposure, butyl myristate and ethyl myristate were not toxic. dermal exposure indicated that myristic acid and butyl myristate were not irritating. Myristic acid, isopropyl myristate and myristyl myristate were minimally irritating to the eyes. ethyl myristate, glyceryl myristate and isopropyl myristate were not sensitizers. isopropyl myristate was negative in genotoxicity tests and was not carcinogenic.
Based on the structural similarities of these compounds, and the knowledge that in the body similar metabolites are formed, the Expert Panel concluded that myristic acid, aluminum dimyristate, aluminum isostearates/myristate, aluminum myristate, aluminum myristates/palmitates, calcium myristate, magnesium myristate, potassium myristate, sodium myristate, zinc myristate, butyl myristate, cetyl myristate, decyl myristate, ethylhexyl myristate, ethyl myristate, glyceryl dimyristate, glyceryl isostearate/myristate, glyceryl myristate, isobutyl myristate, isocetyl myristate, isodecyl myristate, isopropyl myristate, isostearyl myristate, isotridecyl myristate, lauryl myristate, methyl myristate, myristyl myristate, octyldodecyl myristate, oleyl myristate, propylene glycol myristate, tetradecyloctadecyl myristate and tridecyl myristate were safe as cosmetic ingredients in the present practices of use and concentration.
FDA Code of Federal Regulations for fatty acids myristic acid and its salts and esters may be used in cosmetics and personal care products in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Directive of the European Union. If these ingredients are derived from animal sources, they must comply with the European Union animal by-products regulations.