beauty
food
industrial

Vanillic acid

CAS 121-34-6 · 40/100 · High conf.

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Vanillic acid in plain language

What it is: Also known as 4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXYBENZOIC acid · Benzoic acid, 4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXY- · Droxidopa metabolite (va) · M-methoxy-p-hydroxy-benzoic acid · Va · 2-Methoxy-4-carboxyphenol
Show all 16 names
3-Methoxy-4-hydroxybenzoic acid · 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-Benzoic acid · Acid, 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic · p-Hydroxy-m-methoxy-benzoic Acid · Acide vanillique · Protocatechuic acid, 3-methyl ester · acido vanilico · m-Anisic acid, 4-hydroxy- · p Hydroxy m methoxy benzoic Acid · p-Vanillic acid
What it does: Used in cosmetics as a flavouring agent, fragrance and flavouring agent.
Flavouring agent
Fragrance
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 1 composition records across product categories including 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. Vanillic acid appears in these published regulatory listings.

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Industrial

EUCosIngActiveVanillic Acid is the organic compound that conforms to the formula
- Vanillic Acid is the organic compound that conforms to the formulaSource →
EUEFSAEFSA opinionFlavouring Group Evaluation 52 (FGE.52): Consideration of hydroxy- and alkoxy substituted benzyl derivatives evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to benzyl alcohols, benzaldehydes, a related acetal, benzoic acids, and related esters evaluated by EFSA in FGE.20 (2005) (Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000 of 18 July 2000) (EFSA AFC)
- Flavouring Group Evaluation 52 (FGE.52): Consideration of hydroxy- and alkoxy substituted benzyl derivatives evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to benzyl alcohols, benzaldehydes, a related acetal, benzoic acids, and related esters evaluated by EFSA in FGE.20 (2005) (Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000 of 18 July 2000) (EFSA AFC)Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record.
- JECFA evaluation record.Source →
GLOBALJECFANo safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agentJECFA evaluation lists ADI No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including No specific technical function, Flavouring and nutrient, Fragrance.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 1 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including No specific technical function, Flavouring and nutrient, Fragrance.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
- Flavouring Group Evaluation 52 (FGE.52): Consideration of hydroxy- and alkoxy substituted benzyl derivatives evaluated by JECFA (57th meeting) structurally related to benzyl alcohols, benzaldehydes, a related acetal, benzoic acids, and related esters evaluated by EFSA in FGE.20 (2005) (Commission Regulation (EC) No 1565/2000 of 18 July 2000) (EFSA AFC)
  2008 · EU EFSA listing · Read the source →
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 No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent. Functional class: flavouring agent.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Vanillic acid 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

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EFSA OpenFoodTox
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated February 8, 2019
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
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

accessdata.fda.gov

Read →

Openfda substance

accessdata.fda.gov

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

Source records

Named organisations

Laboratory supplies

Typical roles

Flavouring agentFragranceFlavouring

See products using Vanillic acid →

Catalog

Found in these products

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

See all 17 →Find products without it →