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Polyvinyl alcohol

CAS 9002-89-5 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 57 other CAS numbers

9014-14-6 · 9050-53-7 · 9066-05-1 · 25038-51-1 · 39320-29-1 · 53241-16-0 · 58740-50-4 · 61584-38-1 · 73298-53-0 · 75923-48-7 · 82428-08-8 · 98002-48-3 · 106442-33-5 · 110736-47-5 · 118168-83-5 · 147827-36-9 · 151439-02-0 · 152987-51-4 · 153569-70-1 · 155421-52-6 · 162261-31-6 · 172452-03-8 · 176742-14-6 · 353276-42-3 · 372077-13-9 · 416899-99-5 · 495413-85-9 · 551960-18-0 · 860310-93-6 · 875587-23-8 · 875587-24-9 · 1159795-77-3 · 1221137-85-4 · 1251055-03-4 · 1353578-76-3 · 1360538-16-4 · 1360617-28-2 · 1379820-54-8 · 1391975-95-3 · 1417904-88-1 · +17 more

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence

Polyvinyl alcohol in plain language

What it is

Also known as Ethenol homopolymer · Unspecified polyvinyl alcohol · Pvoh · Vinyl alcohol polymer · E-1203 · Homopolymer ethenol

Show all 19 names

Hydrolysed polyvinyl acetate · Hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate · INS-1203 · A 10 Coex Test 14 · Adhesive · Aibon AU 7002FL · Airvol 107SF · Airvol 125SF · Airvol 165SF · Airvol 21-205 · Airvol 21-25 · Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) · vinyl alcohol polymer (non-hazardous)

What it does

Used in food as a thickener, glazing agent.

  • Thickener, glazing agent
  • Emulsifier
  • Thickener
  • Film former
Is it a concern?
Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record.

Why it's flagged

EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 761 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Raw materials, Specialty occupational 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. Polyvinyl alcohol appears in these published regulatory listings.

  • In marketed US drugs
  • Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

  • Found in consumer products
  • Beauty
  • Cleaning
  • Pharma
  • Industrial
  • USFDAinactive ingredient database17 entries — 6 administration routes
    • Route: OPHTHALMIC; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: 1.4 %w/wSource →
    • Route: OPHTHALMIC; Dosage form: SUSPENSION/ DROPS; Potency: 1.4 %w/vSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE; Potency: 1.67 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 5 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Maximum daily exposure: 165 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, COATED; Potency: 0.7 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 96 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, FILM COATED; Potency: 20 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, ORALLY DISINTEGRATING; Maximum daily exposure: 2 mgSource →
    • Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 1.4 %w/vSource →
    • Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SYSTEM; Maximum daily exposure: 420 mgSource →
    • Route: VAGINAL; Dosage form: AEROSOL, FOAM; Potency: 0.5 %w/wSource →
    • Route: VAGINAL; Dosage form: CREAM; Potency: 0.5 %w/wSource →
    • Route: OPHTHALMIC; Dosage form: SOLUTION/ DROPS; Potency: 1.4 %w/vSource →
    • Route: OPHTHALMIC; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 1.4 %w/wSource →
    • Route: INTRAVITREAL; Dosage form: IMPLANT; Potency: 0.12 mgSource →
    • Route: AURICULAR (OTIC); Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: 0.05 %w/vSource →
  • EUEFSAEFSA opinion2 entries
    • Opinion of the Scientific Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) on a request related to a 17th list of substances for food contact materials (EFSA AFC)Source →
    • Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food on a request from the Commission related to the use of polyvinyl alcohol as a coating agent for food supplements (EFSA AFC)Source →
  • GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
  • GLOBALJECFA0-50 mg/kg bwJECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-50 mg/kg bw. Functional class: thickener, glazing agent.
    • JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-50 mg/kg bw. Functional class: thickener, glazing agent.Source →
  • USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 761 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Raw materials, Specialty occupational products. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Film former, Viscosity modifier, Sealant (barrier).
    • EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 761 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Raw materials, Specialty occupational products. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Film former, Viscosity modifier, Sealant (barrier).Source →
  • USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 10 active drug products and 10 total products.
    • FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 10 active drug products and 10 total products.Source →
  • USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as mixture.
    • openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as mixture.Source →

Expert safety opinions

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

  • 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 0-50 mg/kg bw. Functional class: thickener, glazing agent.

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

  • EFSA

    European Food Safety Authority

    • Opinion of the Scientific Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) on a request related to a 17th list of substances for food contact materials (EFSA AFC)

      2008 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

    • Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food on a request from the Commission related to the use of polyvinyl alcohol as a coating agent for food supplements (EFSA AFC)

      2006 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Polyvinyl alcohol 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

  • EFSA OpenFoodTox

    regulatory · updated 2026-10-04

    Open →

  • EPA Chemical and Products Database

    exposure · updated october 29, 2012

    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 →
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

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

Source records

761

Named organisations

6

Construction and building materialsRaw materialsSpecialty occupational productsLaboratory suppliesHome maintenanceMedical/dental

Typical roles

Thickener, glazing agentEmulsifierThickenerFilm former
See products using Polyvinyl alcohol →

Catalog

Found in these products

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

See all 52 →Find products without it →