What does Benzyl benzoate do?

Used in cosmetics as an antimicrobial, a solvent and a fragrance ingredient.

Is Benzyl benzoate safe?

High concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is restricted in EU cosmetics.

beauty
cleaning
food
industrial

Benzyl benzoate

CAS 120-51-4 · 70/100 · High conf.

Concern score

70/100High concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Benzyl benzoate in plain language

What it is: Also known as Benzoic acid benzyl ester · Benzoic acid phenylmethyl ester · Benzyl benzenecarboxylate · Benzyl phenylformate · Benzyl ester benzoic acid · Scabiozon
Show all 33 names
Venzonate · Ascabin · Ascabiol · Benzoesaeure-benzylester · Benzylbenzenecarboxylate · Benzyloxy phenyl ketone · Benylate · Benzoate de benzyle · phenylmethyl ester Benzoic acid · Benzyl benzoate; Phenylmethyl benzoate · Benzylbenzoat · Benzylets · Colebenz · Novoscabin · Phenylmethyl benzoate · Peruscabin · Scabagen · Scabanca · Scabide · Scabitox · Scobenol · Vanzoate · benzo acid phenylmethyl ester · benzoato de bencilo · benzyl benzoat · benzylbenzoate · Benzylis benzoas
What it does: Used in cosmetics as an antimicrobial, a solvent and a fragrance ingredient.
Antimicrobial
Solvent
Perfuming
Flavouring agent, carrier solvent
Preservative
Fragrance
Is it a concern?: High concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is restricted in EU cosmetics.

Why it's flagged

Benzyl benzoate is restricted in cosmetic products under Annex III of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009.

RestrictedEU EC — restricted

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

Restrictions first, then routine listings from published regulatory sources.

EU Annex III — restricted
EU restricted in cosmetics
Inactive ingredient in US drugs
In marketed US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Cleaning
Pharma
Food
Industrial

EUEC
Annex III of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: substances which cosmetic products must not contain except subject to the restrictions laid down. Other conditions: The presence of the substance must be indicated in the list of ingredients referred to in Article 19(1)g when its concentration exceeds: - 0.001% in leave-on products - 0.01% in rinse-off products
restricted
View source →

USFDAinactive ingredient database4 entries — 2 administration routes
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 447 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION; Maximum daily exposure: 1500 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE; Potency: NASource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 750 mgSource →
EUEFSAEFSA opinion3 entries
- Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of benzyl alcohols, aldehydes, acids, esters and acetals (chemical group 23) when used as flavourings for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
- Flavouring Group Evaluation 54 (FGE.54): Consideration of benzyl derivatives evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to benzyl alcohols, benzaldehydes, a related acetal, benzoic acids and related esters evaluated by EFSA in FGE.20 (2005). Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (EFSA AFC)Source →
- Flavouring Group Evaluation 54, Revision 1 (FGE.54Rev1): Consideration of benzyl derivatives evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to benzyl alcohols, benzaldehydes, a related acetal, benzoic acids and related esters evaluated by EFSA in FGE.20Rev1 (2009) (EFSA CEF)Source →
EUCosIngActive2 entries
- Cosmetics Regulation annex III / ref 85.Source →
- Restriction: III/85Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
- JECFA evaluation record.Source →
GLOBALJECFA0-5 mg/kg bw (1996)JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-5 mg/kg bw (1996). Functional class: flavouring agent, carrier solvent.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-5 mg/kg bw (1996). Functional class: flavouring agent, carrier solvent.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 3746 composition records across product categories including Cleaning products and household care, Construction and building materials, Pesticides. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Fragrance, Deodorizer, Solvent.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 3746 composition records across product categories including Cleaning products and household care, Construction and building materials, Pesticides. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Fragrance, Deodorizer, Solvent.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 1 drug products and 1 package presentations.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 1 drug products and 1 package presentations.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

SCCS
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
No SCCS opinion on file.
CIR
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)
No CIR safety assessment on file.
EFSA
European Food Safety Authority
- Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of benzyl alcohols, aldehydes, acids, esters and acetals (chemical group 23) when used as flavourings for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)
  2012 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Flavouring Group Evaluation 54 (FGE.54): Consideration of benzyl derivatives evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to benzyl alcohols, benzaldehydes, a related acetal, benzoic acids and related esters evaluated by EFSA in FGE.20 (2005). Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food (EFSA AFC)
  2008 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Flavouring Group Evaluation 54, Revision 1 (FGE.54Rev1): Consideration of benzyl derivatives evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to benzyl alcohols, benzaldehydes, a related acetal, benzoic acids and related esters evaluated by EFSA in FGE.20Rev1 (2009) (EFSA CEF)
  2009 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
JECFA
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
- JECFA evaluation record.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-5 mg/kg bw (1996). Functional class: flavouring agent, carrier solvent.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Benzyl benzoate yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

11 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes
regulatory · updated 2010-10-17
Open →
EFSA OpenFoodTox
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated october 23, 2019
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
Open →
FDA Inactive Ingredient Database
regulatory · updated 2026-01-09
Open →
FDA National Drug Code Directory
regulatory · updated 2027-02-20
Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
Open →
WHO JECFA Database
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
Open →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Open →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

Not a strong fit for fragrance avoidance because it carries Fragrance.

Avoid

The ingredient itself is a fragrance-linked signal, so it is better treated as an avoid case when fragrance exposure is the main concern.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Benzyl benzoate in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

3,746

Named organisations

Cleaning products and household careConstruction and building materialsPesticidesLaboratory suppliesFood and drugPersonal care

Typical roles

AntimicrobialSolventPerfumingFlavouring agent, carrier solventPreservativeFragrance

See products using Benzyl benzoate →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Benzyl benzoate; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 934 →Find products without it →

Co-occurrence

Often appears with

Ingredients that frequently appear alongside Benzyl benzoate in the catalog.