- beauty
- food
- industrial
- pharma
Shellac
CAS 9000-59-3 · 40/100 · High conf.
Concern score
40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence
Shellac in plain language
Also known as Pharmaceutical glaze · Lac resin · Regular bleached shellac · Bleached shellac · Shellac, bleached, wax-free · Confectioner's dewaxed white lac glaze
Show all 20 names
Kerria lacca resin · Laccifer lacca resin · Laccoat 50EDS · Mantrollac r 49 · Opaglos · Pacrite apple wax 55 · Z-gbn · E 904 · Ins NO.904 · INS-904 · lacca · refined dewax bleach shellac · refined dewax bleach shellac/shellac · refined dewaxed bleached shellac
Used in cosmetics as an emollient, a hair fixative and a binder. Shellac. A resin secreted by Laccifer lacca, Coccidae.
- Emollient
- Hair fixing
- Binding
- Film forming
- Viscosity controlling
- Glazing agent
- 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 94 composition records across product categories including Home maintenance, Arts and crafts/office supplies, Construction and building materials.
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. Shellac appears in these published regulatory listings.
- Inactive ingredient in US drugs
- Found in consumer products
- Beauty
- Pharma
- Food
- Industrial
USFDAinactive ingredient database13 entries — 2 administration routes
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, COATED, EXTENDED RELEASE; Potency: NASource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, DELAYED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 1 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, EXTENDED RELEASE; Potency: 75.01 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: 3 mg/1mlSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Maximum daily exposure: 112 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, COATED; Potency: 30 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, DELAYED RELEASE; Potency: 21.44 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, COATED PELLETS; Potency: 29 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, FILM COATED; Potency: 4.4 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, SUGAR COATED; Potency: NASource →
- Route: SUBLINGUAL; Dosage form: FILM; Potency: NASource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE; Potency: 34.48 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE; Potency: 213.24 mgSource →
EUCosIngActiveShellac. A resin secreted by Laccifer lacca, Coccidae
- Shellac. A resin secreted by Laccifer lacca, CoccidaeSource →
EUEFSAEFSA opinionStatement on the safety and efficacy of Shellac for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)
- Statement on the safety and efficacy of Shellac for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)Source →
GLOBALJECFANOT SPECIFIEDJECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: glazing agent.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: glazing agent.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 94 composition records across product categories including Home maintenance, Arts and crafts/office supplies, Construction and building materials. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Softener and conditioner, Film former, Viscosity modifier.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 94 composition records across product categories including Home maintenance, Arts and crafts/office supplies, Construction and building materials. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Softener and conditioner, Film former, Viscosity modifier.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
Statement on the safety and efficacy of Shellac for all animal species (EFSA FEEDAP)
2020 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
JECFA
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: glazing agent.
Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
Evidence & sources
No graded research studies for Shellac yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.
Where this comes from
- Open →
CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
- Open →
EFSA OpenFoodTox
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
- Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated September 2013
- 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
Reference links (1)
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.
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.
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 Shellac in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.
Source records
94
Named organisations
6
Home maintenanceArts and crafts/office suppliesConstruction and building materialsIndustrial machineryPersonal careConstruction
Typical roles
EmollientHair fixingBindingFilm formingViscosity controllingGlazing agent
Found in these products
Their ingredient lists include Shellac; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.
- SweeTARTS Soft & Chewy Ropes Cherry PunchSweeTARTS · Snacks
- Total BeetsForce Factor
- Brownie mixSnacks
- Animal Pak Ultimate FoundationAnimal
- California MandarinsSunkist · Plant Based Foods And Beverages
- CitronsSunkist · Plant Based Foods And Beverages
- Lemons
- AdvilCosmetic Products
- Planters, turtle sundae mixSnacks
- Planters, banana sundae mixSnacks
- Planters, raisin cookie mix, oatmealSnacks
- Chocolate candy covered caramel bits, vanilla yogurt covered peanuts, pecans, salted caramel flavor peanuts, chocolate candy covered peanuts turtle sundae mix, turtle sundaeSnacks
- Chocolate covered caramel bits, vanilla yogurt covered peanuts, pecans, salted caramel flavor peanuts, chocolate covered peanuts turtle sundae mix, turtle sundaeSnacks
- Banana sundae honey roasted peanuts, chocolate candy covered peanuts, vanilla yogurt covered peanuts, strawberry flavor yogurt covered peanuts, banana chips mix, banana sundaeSnacks
- Banana sundae mixBaking Decorations
- Oatmeal flavor yogurt and graham covered raisins, cinnamon toasted almonds, pecans cookie mix, oatmeal raisin cookieSnacks
- Oatmeal flavor covered raisins yogurt and graham covered raisins cinnamon toasted almonds pecans raisin cookie mix, oatmeal raisin cookieSnacks
- Planters, turtle sundae mixBaking Decorations
- Peanut butter candy covered peanuts cocoa peanuts | milk chocolate covered brownie flavor bits peanuts | peanut butter candy pieces chocolate peanut butter brownie mix, chocolate peanut butter brownieSnacks
- Chocolate peanut butter brownie mix, chocolate peanut butter brownieSnacks
- Nature's Bounty Mini Omega-3
- A collection of fine belgian chocolatesSnacks
- Milk Chocolate Covered AlmondsGold Emblem · Undefined
- Power blend trail mixSnacks
