What does Erythorbic acid do?

Used in cosmetics as an antioxidant.

Is Erythorbic acid safe?

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

beauty
cleaning
food
industrial

Erythorbic acid

CAS 74242-57-2 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 2 other CAS numbers

98966-42-8 · 89-65-6

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Erythorbic acid in plain language

What it is: Also known as Isoascorbic acid · D-araboascorbic acid · 2,3-DIDEHYDRO-D-ERYTHRO-HEXONO-1,4-LACTONE · D-ERYTHRO-HEX-2-ENOIC acid gamma-lactone · D-ERYTHRO-HEX-2-ENONIC acid, .gamma.-lactone · D-isoascorbic acid
Show all 30 names
Erythorbate · Saccharosonic acid · 2,3-Didehydro-D- erythro-hexono-1,4-lactone · 2,3-Didehydro-D-erythro-hexono-1,4-lacton · 2,3-didehidro-D-eritro-hexono-1,4-lactona · 3-Keto-D-erythro-hexonic acid gamma-lactone · Araboascorbic acid · Araboascorbic acid, D- · D-arabino-ascorbic acid · D-erythorbic acid · D-erythro-hexonic acid, 3-KETO-, .gamma.-lactone · D-erythro-3-Ketohexonic acid lactone · D-erythro-3-Oxohexonic acid lactone · D-erythro-Hex-2-enonic acid, γ-lactone · E-315 · Erycorbin · anhydrous Erythorbic acid · Glucosaccharonic acid · Ins NO.315 · INS-315 · Isoascorbic-acid · Isovitamin c · Mercate 5 · Neo-cebicure
What it does: Used in cosmetics as an antioxidant.
Antioxidant
Preservative
Colourant
Fragrance
Flavouring
Antimicrobial
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 858 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies, Personal care.

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. Erythorbic acid appears in these published regulatory listings.

Inactive ingredient in US drugs

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Beauty
Cleaning
Industrial

EUCosIngActiveListed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.
- Listed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.Source →
EUEFSAEFSA opinionScientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of erythorbic acid (E 315) and sodium erythorbate (E 316) as food additives (EFSA ANS)
- Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of erythorbic acid (E 315) and sodium erythorbate (E 316) as food additives (EFSA ANS)Source →
GLOBALJECFANOT SPECIFIEDJECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: antioxidant.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: antioxidant.Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
- JECFA evaluation record.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 858 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies, Personal care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Antioxidant, Fragrance, Chemical reaction regulator.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 858 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies, Personal care. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Antioxidant, Fragrance, Chemical reaction regulator.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →
USFDAinactive ingredient databaseRoute: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Potency: NA
- Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Potency: NASource →

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 re-evaluation of erythorbic acid (E 315) and sodium erythorbate (E 316) as food additives (EFSA ANS)
  2016 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
JECFA
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI NOT SPECIFIED. Functional class: antioxidant.
  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 Erythorbic 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 →
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
Open →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Open →

Reference links (2)

Openfda substance

codexalimentarius.net

Read →

Openfda substance

apps.who.int

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

Source records

858

Named organisations

Laboratory suppliesPersonal care

Typical roles

AntioxidantPreservativeColourantFragranceFlavouringAntimicrobial

See products using Erythorbic acid →

Catalog

Found in these products

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

See all 54 →Find products without it →