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Carboxymethylcellulose

CAS 177317-30-5 · 0/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 5 other CAS numbers

191616-54-3 · 196886-89-2 · 204336-41-4 · 1125619-15-9 · 9000-11-7

Carboxymethylcellulose chemical structure

Concern score

0/100Low concern — well-established and permitted without restriction (FDA GRAS; JECFA ADI not specified; CIR safe as used; EU food additive; EU CosIng).
High confidence

Carboxymethylcellulose in plain language

What it is

On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Croscarmellose”.

Also known as Croscarmellose · Carmellose · Carboxymethyl cellulose · Carmelosa · Croscarmelosa · Carmellose (JP17/NF/INN)

Show all 30 names

Carbose · Carboxymethylated cellulose pulp · Cellulose carboxymethyl ether · Glycocel ta · Thylose · acetic acid;2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexanal · 7H · Acetic acid, hydroxy-, cellulose ether · Almelose · Apergel · CM-Cellulose · CMC-4LF · Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) · Carboxymethyl cellulose CM-32 · Carboxymethyl cellulose ether · Carboxymethyl ether cellulose · Carboxymethylcellulose cellulose carboxymethyl ether · carboximetil eter Celulosa · Croscarmellose (INN) · Intrasite gel · Intrasite gel (TN) · UNII-05JZI7B19X · cmc · cmc gum

What it does

Used in cosmetics as a binder, a bulking agent and a gelling agent. Croscarmellose is the sodium salt of crosslinked cellulose carboxymethyl ether.

  • Binding
  • Bulking
  • Gel forming
  • Viscosity controlling
  • Thickener, stabilizer
  • Emulsifier
Is it a concern?
Low 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 34 composition records across product categories including Industrial products, Electronics/small appliances, Cleaning and safety.

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. Carboxymethylcellulose 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 database8 entries — 3 administration routes
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE, EXTENDED RELEASE; Potency: NASource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: DROPS; Potency: 10 mg/1mlSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: POWDER, FOR SUSPENSION; Potency: NASource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: 50.07 mg/5mlSource →
    • Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 5 mgSource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, DELAYED RELEASE; Potency: NASource →
    • Route: VAGINAL; Dosage form: JELLY; Potency: NASource →
    • Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Potency: 45 mgSource →
  • EUCosIngActiveCroscarmellose is the sodium salt of crosslinked cellulose carboxymethyl ether
    • Croscarmellose is the sodium salt of crosslinked cellulose carboxymethyl etherSource →
  • GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record. Functional class: thickener, stabilizer.
    • JECFA evaluation record. Functional class: thickener, stabilizer.Source →
  • USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 34 composition records across product categories including Industrial products, Electronics/small appliances, Cleaning and safety. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Clump aid, Viscosity modifier, Filler.
    • EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 34 composition records across product categories including Industrial products, Electronics/small appliances, Cleaning and safety. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Clump aid, Viscosity modifier, Filler.Source →
  • USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 4 active drug products and 4 total products.
    • FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 4 active drug products and 4 total products.Source →
  • USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as polymer.
    • openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as polymer.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. Functional class: thickener, stabilizer.

      Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Carboxymethylcellulose 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 November 2016

    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 2026-12-31

    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

Front. Chem., 25 May 2020 Sec. Green and Sustainable Chemistry https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2020.00398

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

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

Source records

34

Named organisations

6

Industrial productsElectronics/small appliancesCleaning and safetyCleaning products and household careLaboratory suppliesPersonal care

Typical roles

BindingBulkingGel formingViscosity controllingThickener, stabilizerEmulsifier
See products using Carboxymethylcellulose →

Catalog

Found in these products

Cosmetic and personal-care products that list Carboxymethylcellulose are shown first. Their ingredient lists include Carboxymethylcellulose; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 55 →Find products without it →