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Racementhol

CAS 89-78-1 · 70/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 4 other CAS numbers

1490-04-6 · 2216-51-5 · 15356-60-2 · 15356-70-4

Concern score

70/100High concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence

Racementhol in plain language

What it is

On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Menthol”.

Also known as Menthol · Dl-menthol · Menthol racemate · Racemic menthol · Menthol; dl-menthol; l-menthol; d-menthol · (1R,2S,5R)-REL-5-METHYL-2-(1-METHYLETHYL)CYCLOHEXANOL

Show all 30 names

Cyclohexanol, 5-METHYL-2-(1-METHYLETHYL)-, (1R,2S,5R)-REL- · Meggezone · Menthol, CIS-1,3,TRANS-1,4- · Menthol, dl- · Rac-menthol · rel-(1R,2S,5R)-5-Methyl-2-(propan-2-yl)cyclohexan-1-ol · (.+-.)-Menthol · (1α,2β,5α)-5-Methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)cyclohexanol · (±)-menthol · 3-P-MENTHANOL · 5-METHYL-2-(1-METHYLETHYL)-CYCLOHEXANOL · Cyclohexanol, 5-METHYL-2-(1-METHYLETHYL)-, (1α,2.β,5α)-(+-)- · Cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)- · Cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-, (1α,2β,5α)- · Menthol, (+/-)- · Menthol, (±)- · Menthol (Cyclohexanol- C10H20O) · Menthol Active pharmaceutical ingredient · Menthol racemic · menthol 0.042% · menthol 0.042% w/v · menthol crystal · mentholum · p-methan-3-ol

What it does

Used in cosmetics as a refreshing agent, a soothing agent and a fragrance ingredient. Menthol / DL-menthol / L-menthol.

  • Refreshing
  • Soothing
  • Fragrance
  • Denaturant
  • Flavouring agent
Is it a concern?
High concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is restricted in EU cosmetics.

Why it's flagged

Menthol; dl-menthol; l-menthol; d-menthol 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

Recorded in these product areas

  • Found in consumer products
  • Beauty
  • Cleaning
  • 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 shall be indicated in the list of ingredients referred to in Article 19(1), point (g), when its concentration exceeds: — 0,001 % in leave-on products — 0,01 % in rinse-off products.

    restricted
    View source →
  • USFDAinactive ingredient database4 entries
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 1 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SYRUP; Maximum daily exposure: 2 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 2 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: LOZENGE; Maximum daily exposure: 30 mgSource →
  • EUCosIngActive2 entries
    • Cosmetics Regulation annex III / ref 338.Source →
    • Menthol / DL-menthol / L-menthol Restriction: III/338Source →
  • EUEFSAEFSA opinion2 entries
    • Safety and efficacy of Biomin DC-P as a zootechnical feed additive for chickens for fattening, chickens reared for laying and minor avian species to the point of lay (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
    • Safety and efficacy of secondary alicyclic saturated and unsaturated alcohols, ketones, ketals and esters with ketals containing alicyclic alcohols or ketones and esters containing secondary alicyclic alcohols from chemical group 8 when used as flavourings for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
  • GLOBALJECFA0-4 mg/kg bwJECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-4 mg/kg bw. Functional class: flavouring agent.
    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-4 mg/kg bw. Functional class: flavouring agent.Source →
  • USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 37 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies, Personal care, Cleaning products and household care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Fragrance.
    • EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 37 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies, Personal care, Cleaning products and household care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Fragrance.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

    • Safety and efficacy of Biomin DC-P as a zootechnical feed additive for chickens for fattening, chickens reared for laying and minor avian species to the point of lay (EFSA FEEDAP)

      2019 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Safety and efficacy of secondary alicyclic saturated and unsaturated alcohols, ketones, ketals and esters with ketals containing alicyclic alcohols or ketones and esters containing secondary alicyclic alcohols from chemical group 8 when used as flavourings for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)

      2016 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

  • JECFA

    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives

    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-4 mg/kg bw. Functional class: flavouring agent.

      Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

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

9 data sources

Where this comes from

  • CosIng

    regulatory · updated 2026-09-23

    Open →

  • EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes

    regulatory · updated 2023-09-14

    Open →

  • EFSA OpenFoodTox

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • EPA Chemical and Products Database

    exposure · updated september 6, 2017

    Open →

  • EPA DSSTox Identifiers

    chemistry · updated 2025-12-29

    Open →

  • FDA Inactive Ingredient Database

    regulatory · updated 2026-01-09

    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 →

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 Racementhol in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

37

Named organisations

6

Laboratory suppliesPersonal careCleaning products and household care

Typical roles

RefreshingSoothingFragranceDenaturantFlavouring agent
See products using Racementhol →

Catalog

Found in these products

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

See all 1000+ →Find products without it →

Co-occurrence

Often appears with

Ingredients that frequently appear alongside Racementhol in the catalog.