What does Edetic acid do?

Used in cosmetics as a chelating agent.

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

beauty
cleaning
food
industrial

Edetic acid

CAS 139-33-3 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 19 other CAS numbers

688-55-1 · 53632-26-1 · 124949-23-1 · 470462-56-7 · 13440-78-3 · 20539-27-9 · 26627-46-3 · 30485-87-1 · 30485-88-2 · 30485-90-6 · 32757-10-1 · 94108-75-5 · 161122-33-4 · 402925-67-1 · 675141-16-9 · 1586747-13-8 · 1799367-75-1 · 2024587-69-5 · 60-00-4

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Edetic acid in plain language

What it is: On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “EDTA”.
Also known as EDTA · Disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate · Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid · 2,2',2'',2'''-(Ethane-1,2-diyldinitrilo)tetraacetic acid · Anticoagulant ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid · Anticoagulant ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)
Show all 36 names
Ethylenebis(iminodiacetic acid) · (ethylenedinitrilo)tetraacetic acid · 1,2-Bis (N,N-dicarboxymethylamino)-ethane · 1,2-Ethanediamine, N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(carboxymethyl)- · 3,6-Diazaoctanedioic acid, 3,6-bis(carboxymethyl)- · Acetic acid, (ethylenedinitrilo)tetra- · Acide edetique · Cheelox · EDTA acid · Ethylenediaminetetraaacetic acid · Ethylenediaminetetraacetate · Edathamil · Ethylenediamine Tetraacetic Acid · Gluma cleanser · Havidote · Komplexon ii · Metaquest A · Quastal Special · Sequestrene aa · Sequestric acid · Sequestrol · Tetrine acid · Titriplex · Trilon BS · Trilon bw · Versene acid · Warkeelate acid · acido edetico · ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (edta) (sara iii) · ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (edta) (cercla)
What it does: Used in cosmetics as a chelating agent.
Chelating
Antioxidant synergist, preservative, sequestrant, synergist
Surfactant
Chelating agent
pH adjuster
Flavouring
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 1909 composition records across product categories including Furniture and furnishings, Food and drug, Laboratory supplies.

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. Edetic acid appears in these published regulatory listings.

Inactive ingredient in US drugs
In marketed US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Cleaning
Pharma
Food
Industrial

USFDAinactive ingredient database13 entries — 8 administration routes
- Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 2 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Potency: 4 mgSource →
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, FILM COATED; Potency: 0.2 mgSource →
- Route: RECTAL; Dosage form: SUPPOSITORY; Maximum daily exposure: 7 mgSource →
- Route: SUBCUTANEOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 2 mgSource →
- Route: SUBMUCOSAL; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Potency: 0.03 %w/vSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM; Potency: 0.5 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: GEL; Potency: 0.1 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SHAMPOO; Potency: 0.2 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 0.5 %w/wSource →
- Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: 0.06 %w/vSource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 2 mgSource →
- Route: AURICULAR (OTIC); Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: NASource →
EUCosIngActiveListed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.
- Listed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
- JECFA evaluation record.Source →
GLOBALJECFA0-2.5 mg/kg bwJECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-2.5 mg/kg bw. Functional class: antioxidant synergist, preservative, sequestrant, synergist.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-2.5 mg/kg bw. Functional class: antioxidant synergist, preservative, sequestrant, synergist.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1909 composition records across product categories including Furniture and furnishings, Food and drug, Laboratory supplies. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Chelating agent, Binder, Flavouring and nutrient.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1909 composition records across product categories including Furniture and furnishings, Food and drug, Laboratory supplies. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Chelating agent, Binder, Flavouring and nutrient.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 2 drug products and 2 package presentations.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 2 drug products and 2 package presentations.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 record.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-2.5 mg/kg bw. Functional class: antioxidant synergist, preservative, sequestrant, synergist.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Edetic acid 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 →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated september 5, 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 2027-09-02
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 →

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

Source records

1,909

Named organisations

Furniture and furnishingsFood and drugLaboratory suppliesCleaning and safetyCleaning products and household careSpecialty occupational products

Typical roles

ChelatingAntioxidant synergist, preservative, sequestrant, synergistSurfactantChelating agentpH adjusterFlavouring

See products using Edetic acid →

Catalog

Found in these products

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

See all 460 →Find products without it →

Co-occurrence

Often appears with

Ingredients that frequently appear alongside Edetic acid in the catalog.