What does Triethyl citrate do?

Used in cosmetics as a solvent, a deodorant and a plasticiser. Triethyl Citrate is the triester of ethyl alcohol and citric acid.

Is Triethyl citrate safe?

Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

beauty
cleaning
food
pharma

Triethyl citrate

CAS 77-93-0 · 40/100 · High conf.

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Triethyl citrate in plain language

What it is: Also known as Citric acid ethyl ester · Ethyl citrate · 1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-hydroxy-, triethyl ester · Triethyl ester citric acid · Triethyl 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate · 2-Hydroxy-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylic acid triethyl ester
Show all 26 names
Citroflex ec · Citroflex sc 60 · Citrofol ai · Citrate de triethyle · Citroflex 2 · Citroflex C 2 · E-1505 · Eudraflex · Hydragen cat · Ins NO.1505 · INS-1505 · Morflex c 2 · Morflex tec · Triaethylcitrat · Triethyl 2-hydroxy-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylate · Triethyl Citrate = 1 · Triethylcitrate · Triethylester kyseliny citronove · citrato de trietilo · triethyl citrate (ethyl citrate)
What it does: Used in cosmetics as a solvent, a deodorant and a plasticiser. Triethyl Citrate is the triester of ethyl alcohol and citric acid.
Solvent
Deodorant
Plasticiser
Viscosity controlling
Perfuming
Fragrance
Is it a concern?: Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.

Why it's flagged

EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1165 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Cleaning products and household care, Batteries.

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. Triethyl citrate appears in these published regulatory listings.

Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Cleaning
Pharma
Food

USFDAinactive ingredient database19 entries — 2 administration routes
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, COATED; Maximum daily exposure: 7 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, COATED PELLETS; Maximum daily exposure: 147 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, COATED, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 7 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, DELAYED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 70 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, DELAYED RELEASE PELLETS; Maximum daily exposure: 147 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 129 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: GRANULE, FOR SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 64 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 71 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 5 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Maximum daily exposure: 52 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, CHEWABLE; Maximum daily exposure: 34 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, DELAYED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 120 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 160 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, FILM COATED; Maximum daily exposure: 3 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, FILM COATED, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 1 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, ORALLY DISINTEGRATING; Maximum daily exposure: 17 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, ORALLY DISINTEGRATING, DELAYED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 100 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE; Maximum daily exposure: 10 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION, POWDER, FOR SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 10 mgSource →
EUCosIngActiveTriethyl Citrate is the triester of ethyl alcohol and citric acid that conforms to the formula
- Triethyl Citrate is the triester of ethyl alcohol and citric acid that conforms to the formulaSource →
GLOBALJECFA0-20 mg/kg bw (1984)JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-20 mg/kg bw (1984). Functional class: flavouring agent, carrier solvent, sequestrant.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-20 mg/kg bw (1984). Functional class: flavouring agent, carrier solvent, sequestrant.Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
- JECFA evaluation record.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1165 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Cleaning products and household care, Batteries. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Fragrance, Solvent, Plasticizer.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1165 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Cleaning products and household care, Batteries. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Fragrance, Solvent, Plasticizer.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.
JECFA
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-20 mg/kg bw (1984). Functional class: flavouring agent, carrier solvent, sequestrant.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
- JECFA evaluation record.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

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

8 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated september 25, 2015
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 →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Open →

Reference links (1)

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

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

Source records

1,165

Named organisations

Personal careCleaning products and household careBatteriesVehicleFood and drugPet and animal care

Typical roles

SolventDeodorantPlasticiserViscosity controllingPerfumingFragrance

See products using Triethyl citrate →

Catalog

Found in these products

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

See all 429 →Find products without it →

Co-occurrence

Often appears with

Ingredients that frequently appear alongside Triethyl citrate in the catalog.

FragranceCo occurs