What does Adipic acid do?

Used in cosmetics as a pH buffer and a fragrance ingredient.

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

beauty
cleaning
food
industrial

Adipic acid

CAS 1186514-28-2 · 40/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 2 other CAS numbers

2023788-68-1 · 124-04-9

Concern score

40/100Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Adipic acid in plain language

What it is: Also known as Hexanedioic acid · Adipidic acid · Adipinic acid · 1,4-Butanedicarboxylic acid · 1,6-Hexanedioic acid · Acide adipique
Show all 21 names
Acifloctin · Acinetten · Adilactetten · Adipate · Adipinsaure · E-355 · E355 · Ins NO.355 · INS-355 · Kyselina adipova · Molten adipic acid · acido adipico · adipic acid (sara iii) · adipic acid (cercla) · adipic acid (cercla) hexamethylenediamine
What it does: Used in cosmetics as a pH buffer and a fragrance ingredient.
Buffering
Fragrance
Flavouring agent, acidity regulator
pH adjuster
Flavouring
Conditioner
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 366 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies, Specialty occupational products, Home maintenance.

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. Adipic acid 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
Industrial

USFDAinactive ingredient database2 entries — 2 administration routes
- Route: VAGINAL; Dosage form: INSERT; Maximum daily exposure: 171 mgSource →
- Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 1 %w/vSource →
EUCosIngActiveListed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.
- Listed in CosIng inventory for cosmetic use.Source →
GLOBALJECFA0-5 mg/kg bwJECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-5 mg/kg bw. Functional class: flavouring agent, acidity regulator.
- JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-5 mg/kg bw. Functional class: flavouring agent, acidity regulator.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 366 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies, Specialty occupational products, Home maintenance. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Deodorizer, pH regulating agent, Fragrance.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 366 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies, Specialty occupational products, Home maintenance. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Deodorizer, pH regulating agent, Fragrance.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 1 active drug products and 1 total products.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 1 active drug products and 1 total products.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 lists ADI 0-5 mg/kg bw. Functional class: flavouring agent, acidity regulator.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Adipic 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 2013
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 →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Open →

Reference links (1)

Openfda substance

fao.org

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

Source records

366

Named organisations

Laboratory suppliesSpecialty occupational productsHome maintenanceConstructionRaw materialsArts and crafts/office supplies

Typical roles

BufferingFragranceFlavouring agent, acidity regulatorpH adjusterFlavouringConditioner

See products using Adipic acid →

Catalog

Found in these products

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

See all 22 →Find products without it →