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food
industrial
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Calcium carbonate

E170 · CAS 1317-65-3 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 33 other CAS numbers

13397-26-7 · 287389-46-2 · 13701-58-1 · 39454-55-2 · 60083-79-6 · 63660-97-9 · 71060-88-3 · 72608-12-9 · 114453-69-9 · 137803-94-2 · 146358-95-4 · 148092-93-7 · 166516-01-4 · 172307-27-6 · 180616-31-3 · 197809-38-4 · 198352-33-9 · 251358-28-8 · 459411-10-0 · 878759-26-3 · 1118543-25-1 · 1312764-88-7 · 1352815-51-0 · 1437084-75-7 · 1641572-50-0 · 1883798-64-8 · 1994316-62-9 · 2222732-78-5 · 2390374-02-2 · 2470702-35-1 · 2962051-70-1 · 3018125-28-2 · 471-34-1

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Calcium carbonate in plain language

What it is: On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “CI 77220”.
Also known as CI 77220 · Chalk · Calcium carbonate dc (spray dried) · Ground limestone · Precpitated calcium carbonate · Limestone
Show all 47 names
Calcite · Hydrolyzed pearl · Calcite (CA(CO3)) · Calcitum · Glauberitum · Han shui shi · Marble dust · Actiford 700 · Aeromatt · Akadama · Albacar · Albacar 5970 · Albacar HO · Albacar LO · Albafil · Albaglos · Aragonite · Calcium carbonate (1:1) · Calcicoll · Calcium carbonate. CI 77220 · Calofort U · Calseeds · Caltrate · Calwhite · Chemcarb · Duramite · E-170(I) · Hydrocarb · Ins NO.170(I) · INS-170(I) · Kotamite · Microcarb · Micromya · Neoanticid · Phx cal-carb buffer · Recycled Calcium Carbonate · calcium carbonate. (no mfr cas# provided) · Calcium (as calcium carbonate) · Calcium (as carbonate) · Pepcid complete component calcium carbonate · calcarea carbonica / calcii carbonas
What it does: Used in cosmetics as an abrasive, a colourant and an oral-care ingredient. CI 77220 is classed chemically as an inorganic colour.
Abrasive
Colorant
Oral care
Buffering
Bulking
Opacifying
Is it a concern?: Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

As a food additive

E-number

E170

Used in food as

Colour
Acidity regulator
Anti-caking agent
Firming agent

EU safety status

EFSA re-evaluated E170 in 2011: no safety concern at authorised uses.

It never counts as an additive of concern in a product’s food rating.

EFSA Journal 2011;9(7):2318 — Scientific Opinion on re-evaluation of calcium carbonate (E 170) as a food additive

What the listings say

Permitted, with conditions — Calcium carbonate appears on published "allowed" regulatory lists rather than on a restriction list.

Calcium carbonate is listed in Annex IV of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 (colorants allowed in cosmetic products).

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

No restrictions found. Calcium carbonate appears in these published regulatory listings.

In marketed US drugs
EU Annex IV — permitted colorant
EU permitted colorant
Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Industrial

USFDAinactive ingredient database15 entries — 6 administration routes
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: FILM, SOLUBLE; Maximum daily exposure: 14 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Maximum daily exposure: 793 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, CHEWABLE; Maximum daily exposure: 1650 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, COATED; Potency: 64.8 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, DELAYED RELEASE; Potency: 8.4 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE; Potency: 229.7 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, FILM COATED; Maximum daily exposure: 300 mgSource →
- Route: RESPIRATORY (INHALATION); Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 4.02 %w/vSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE; Potency: 349.9 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 4.02 %w/vSource →
- Route: DENTAL; Dosage form: POWDER, DENTIFRICE; Potency: 0.5 mg/mgSource →
- Route: BUCCAL; Dosage form: GUM, CHEWING; Maximum daily exposure: 3492 mgSource →
- Route: AURICULAR (OTIC); Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 0.38 %w/wSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, EXTENDED RELEASE; Potency: 4 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, DELAYED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 20 mgSource →
EUEFSAConclusion on Pesticides Peer Review4 entries
- Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance limestone powder (calcium carbonate) (EFSA)Source →
- Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance calcium carbonate (EFSA)Source →
- Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance limestone (EFSA)Source →
- Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance calcium carbonate (EFSA)Source →
EUCosIngActive3 entries
- CI 77220 is classed chemically as an inorganic colour. It conforms generally to the formula: Restriction: IV/124Source →
- Cosmetics Regulation annex IV / ref 124.Source →
- Restriction: IV/124Source →
EUECallowed_listedAnnex IV of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: colorants allowed in cosmetic products. Conditions of use and warnings: Purity criteria as set out in Commission Directive 95/45/EC (E 170)
- Annex IV of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: colorants allowed in cosmetic products. Conditions of use and warnings: Purity criteria as set out in Commission Directive 95/45/EC (E 170)Source →
EUEFSAEFSA opinionScientific Opinion on re-evaluation of calcium carbonate (E 170) as a food additive (EFSA ANS)
- Scientific Opinion on re-evaluation of calcium carbonate (E 170) as a food additive (EFSA ANS)Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
- JECFA evaluation record.Source →
GLOBALJECFANOT LIMITEDJECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT LIMITED. Functional class: anticaking agent.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT LIMITED. Functional class: anticaking agent.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 4671 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Raw materials, Furniture and furnishings. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Abrasive, Absorbent, Dye.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 4671 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Raw materials, Furniture and furnishings. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Abrasive, Absorbent, Dye.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 722 active drug products and 731 total products.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 722 active drug products and 731 total products.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.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
- Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance limestone powder (calcium carbonate) (EFSA)
  2022 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance calcium carbonate (EFSA)
  2021 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance limestone (EFSA)
  2011 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Conclusion on the peer review of the pesticide risk assessment of the active substance calcium carbonate (EFSA)
  2011 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
- Scientific Opinion on re-evaluation of calcium carbonate (E 170) as a food additive (EFSA ANS)
  2011 · 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 NOT LIMITED. Functional class: anticaking agent.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Calcium carbonate 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 2020-08-14
Open →
EFSA OpenFoodTox
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated september-26-2014
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 2027-12-31
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 →

Reference links (2)

Openfda substance

fco.factsandcomparisons.com

Read →

Openfda substance

codexalimentarius.net

Read →

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

No fragrance-linked caution surfaced in the current profile.

Good fit

This ingredient does not currently read as a fragrance-linked driver in the published evidence and hazard profile.

Where it has been recorded

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

Source records

4,671

Named organisations

Construction and building materialsRaw materialsFurniture and furnishingsHome maintenanceOther indirect contact consumer goodsCons. electronics, mech. appliances, and machinery

Typical roles

AbrasiveColorantOral careBufferingBulkingOpacifying

See products using Calcium carbonate →

Catalog

Found in these products

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

See all 305 →Find products without it →