What does Sorbitol do?

Used in cosmetics as a humectant, a skin-conditioning agent and a fragrance ingredient. Sorbitol is the hexahydric alcohol.

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

beauty
cleaning
food
industrial

Sorbitol

CAS 26566-34-7 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 16 other CAS numbers

75607-68-0 · 123236-29-3 · 3959-53-3 · 8013-15-8 · 8014-89-9 · 8036-93-9 · 8042-39-5 · 8045-74-7 · 8046-05-7 · 15060-73-8 · 36134-87-9 · 63800-20-4 · 75398-79-7 · 98201-93-5 · 952319-42-5 · 50-70-4

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Sorbitol in plain language

What it is: Also known as D-sorbitol · D-glucitol syrup · D-Glucitol · (2R,3R,4R,5S)-hexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol · E-420(I) · Glucitol, d-
Show all 41 names
Ins NO.420(I) · INS-420(I) · Sorbitol (E420) · Sorbitol solutions · 1,2,3,4,5,6-HEXANEHEXOL · 7B5697N · Cerestar P 16616 · Cholaxine · D-Sorbitol / Sorbitol · Diakarmon · E 420 · Esasorb · Glucarine · Karion instant · Multitol · Neosorb p 60W · Neosorb · Nivitin · Sorbit · Sionit · Sionite · Sionon · Siosan · Sorbilande · Sorbitol F · Water Sorbitol · Sorbo · Sorbol · Sorbostyl · glucitol · glycerin and/or sorbitol · sorbitolum · Sorbitol-mannitol component sorbitol · sorbitol solution · sorbitol solution (70%)
What it does: Used in cosmetics as a humectant, a skin-conditioning agent and a fragrance ingredient. Sorbitol is the hexahydric alcohol.
Humectant
Skin conditioning
Perfuming
Fragrance
Texturizer, thickener, bulking agent, humectant, sequestrant, stabilizer, sweetener
Thickener
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 3516 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Pet and animal care, Food and drug.

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. Sorbitol 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
Food
Industrial

USFDAinactive ingredient database45 entries — 14 administration routes
- Route: INTRALESIONAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 45 %w/vSource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: NASource →
- Route: INTRASYNOVIAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 45 %w/vSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION; Maximum daily exposure: 1200 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, POWDER, LYOPHILIZED, FOR SOLUTION; Potency: 1.04 %w/vSource →
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 4050 mgSource →
- Route: NASAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 25 mg/1mlSource →
- Route: NASAL; Dosage form: SPRAY; Maximum daily exposure: 49 mgSource →
- Route: OPHTHALMIC; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 6 mgSource →
- Route: OPHTHALMIC; Dosage form: SOLUTION/ DROPS; Potency: 0.25 %w/vSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE; Maximum daily exposure: 744 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, LIQUID FILLED; Maximum daily exposure: 25 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CONCENTRATE; Potency: 600 mg/1mlSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: ELIXIR; Potency: 833.3 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: GUM, CHEWING; Maximum daily exposure: 6168 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: LIQUID; Maximum daily exposure: 53460 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: POWDER; Maximum daily exposure: 36000 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: POWDER, FOR SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 12000 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 29268 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION, CONCENTRATE; Potency: 300 mg/1mlSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 45000 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SYRUP; Potency: 4370 mg/5mlSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Potency: 337.28 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, CHEWABLE; Maximum daily exposure: 3555 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, COATED; Potency: 12.96 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, DELAYED RELEASE; Potency: 0.01 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 428 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, FILM COATED; Potency: 5 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, ORALLY DISINTEGRATING; Maximum daily exposure: 7 mgSource →
- Route: RECTAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: 46.18 %w/vSource →
- Route: SUBCUTANEOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 4.7 %w/vSource →
- Route: SUBCUTANEOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Potency: 4.7 %w/vSource →
- Route: SUBLINGUAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Potency: 50.5 mgSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: AEROSOL, FOAM; Potency: 4.95 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM; Potency: 36.8 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM, AUGMENTED; Potency: 15 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: EMULSION; Potency: 7 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: LIQUID; Potency: 1 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: LOTION; Potency: 10.7 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SYSTEM; Maximum daily exposure: 6300 mgSource →
- + 5 more entries not shown
EUCosIngActiveSorbitol is the hexahydric alcohol that conforms to the formula
- Sorbitol is the hexahydric alcohol that conforms to the formulaSource →
EUEFSAEFSA opinionScientific Opinion on the evaluation of the substances currently on the list in the annex to Commission Directive 96/3/EC as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils - Part II of III (EFSA CONTAM)
- Scientific Opinion on the evaluation of the substances currently on the list in the annex to Commission Directive 96/3/EC as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils - Part II of III (EFSA CONTAM)Source →
GLOBALJECFANOT SPECIFIEDJECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: texturizer, thickener, bulking agent, humectant, sequestrant, stabilizer, sweetener.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: texturizer, thickener, bulking agent, humectant, sequestrant, stabilizer, sweetener.Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
- JECFA evaluation record.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 3516 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Pet and animal care, Food and drug. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Humectant, Delivery vehicle, Flavouring and nutrient.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 3516 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Pet and animal care, Food and drug. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Humectant, Delivery vehicle, Flavouring and nutrient.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 12 active drug products and 15 total products.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 12 active drug products and 15 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
- Scientific Opinion on the evaluation of the substances currently on the list in the annex to Commission Directive 96/3/EC as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils - Part II of III (EFSA CONTAM)
  2012 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
JECFA
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: texturizer, thickener, bulking agent, humectant, sequestrant, stabilizer, sweetener.
  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 Sorbitol yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

10 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
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 National Drug Code Directory
regulatory · updated 2029-08-02
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

viacheminc.com

Read →

Openfda substance

ulprospector.com

Read →

Allergen profile

Canonical allergen markers detected on this ingredient. Each row is derived from the ingredient’s name or synonyms matching a known allergen class — useful when scanning a label for a specific allergy context.

GlutenContains · Oral (ingested)
Source: chemindex_name_match

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

Source records

3,516

Named organisations

Personal carePet and animal careFood and drugLaboratory suppliesCleaning products and household careConstruction and building materials

Typical roles

HumectantSkin conditioningPerfumingFragranceTexturizer, thickener, bulking agent, humectant, sequestrant, stabilizer, sweetenerThickener

See products using Sorbitol →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Sorbitol; 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 Sorbitol in the catalog.