# SODIUM METABISULFITE

URL: https://app.greenveil.ai/ingredients/ingredient_source_ref_annex_ref_iii_99
Categories: beauty, cleaning, food, industrial, pharma
Functions: Preservative, Antioxidant, Hair waving or straightening, Reducing, Antioxidant, flour treatment agent, preservative, Colourant
Identifier: 7757-83-7

> SODIUM METABISULFITE: Used in cosmetics as a preservative, an antioxidant and a hair waving or straightening agent. Sodium Bisulfite is the inorganic salt. Greenveil chemical-concern score: 40/100 — Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.. Compiled from 10 published data sources.

## Safety assessment

- Chemical concern score: 40/100 — Moderate concern based on regulatory listings.
- Confidence in this assessment: High
- Is it a concern? Moderate concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is listed for cosmetic use in the EU.
- Rationale: Inorganic sulphites and hydrogensulphites (5) is listed in Annex V of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 (preservatives allowed in cosmetic products).

## Regulatory status

- EU: Active — Sodium Bisulfite is the inorganic salt that conforms to the formula: Restriction: III/99
V/9
- EU: Active — Sodium Metabisulfite is the inorganic salt that conforms to the formula: Restriction: III/99
V/9
- EU: Active — Sodium Sulfite is the inorganic salt that conforms to the formula: Restriction: III/99
V/9
- EU: Active — Cosmetics Regulation annex V / ref 9.
- EU: Active — Potassium Metabisulfite is the inorganic salt that conforms to the formula: Restriction: III/99
V/9
- EU: Active — Potassium Sulfite is the inorganic salt that conforms to the formula: Restriction: III/99
V/9
- EU: Active — Ammonium Bisulfite is an inorganic salt that conforms to the formula: Restriction: III/99
V/9
- EU: allowed_listed — Annex V of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: preservatives allowed in cosmetic products. Maximum concentration: 0.2% (as free SO2)
- EU: EFSA opinion — Safety assessment of the active substance potassium metabisulfite, for use in active food contact materials (EFSA CEF)
- EU: EFSA opinion — Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of sulfur dioxide (E 220), sodium sulfite (E 221), sodium bisulfite (E 222), sodium metabisulfite (E 223), potassium metabisulfite (E 224), calcium sulfite (E 226), calcium bisulfite (E 227) and potassium bisulfite (E 228) as food additives (EFSA ANS)
- GLOBAL: 0-0.7 mg/kg bw — JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-0.7 mg/kg bw. Functional class: antioxidant, flour treatment agent, preservative.
- GLOBAL: Evaluated — JECFA evaluation record.
- US: commercial use observed — EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 981 composition records across product categories including Laboratory supplies, Specialty occupational products, Batteries. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Stabilizing agent, Preservative, Antioxidant.
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 27.5 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, EMULSION; Potency: 0.03 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 79 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRAVENOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION, CONCENTRATE; Potency: 0.15 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: IONTOPHORESIS; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 0.05 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: IONTOPHORESIS; Dosage form: SYSTEM; Potency: 0.5 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: OPHTHALMIC; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 0.2 %w/w
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: OPHTHALMIC; Dosage form: SUSPENSION/ DROPS; Potency: 0.1 %w/w
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CAPSULE; Potency: 0.36 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: ORAL; Dosage form: CONCENTRATE; Potency: 2 mg/1ml
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 640 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Maximum daily exposure: 40 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION, EXTENDED RELEASE; Maximum daily exposure: 100 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: ORAL; Dosage form: SYRUP; Maximum daily exposure: 80 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Potency: 8 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: ORAL; Dosage form: TABLET, CHEWABLE; Potency: 0.2 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: PERIDURAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: NA
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: PERINEURAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 0.05 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: RECTAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Potency: 2 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: RESPIRATORY (INHALATION); Dosage form: SOLUTION; Potency: 0.3 %w/w
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: SUBCUTANEOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION; Maximum daily exposure: 43 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: SUBCUTANEOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 79 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: SUBCUTANEOUS; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION, CONCENTRATE; Potency: 0.15 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: SUBLINGUAL; Dosage form: TABLET; Potency: 2 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: SUBMUCOSAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Maximum daily exposure: 5 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: SUBMUCOSAL; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Potency: 5 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: CREAM; Potency: 0.2 %w/w
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: LOTION; Potency: 0.2 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SOAP; Potency: 0.36 %w/w
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SUSPENSION; Potency: 0.32 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: TOPICAL; Dosage form: SYSTEM; Potency: 0.5 mg
- US: listed in openFDA substance — openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: EPIDURAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 0.05 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INFILTRATION; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 0.5 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INFILTRATION; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Potency: 0.05 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRA-ARTICULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 0.2 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRABURSAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 0.2 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRACARDIAC; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 0.09 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRALESIONAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 0.1 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 27.5 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION; Maximum daily exposure: 96 mg
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRAMUSCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION, CONCENTRATE; Potency: 0.15 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRAOCULAR; Dosage form: INJECTION, SOLUTION, CONCENTRATE; Potency: 0.15 %w/v
- US: inactive ingredient database — Route: INTRAPERITONEAL; Dosage form: INJECTION; Potency: 0.33 %w/v

## Expert safety opinions

- SCCS (EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety): no opinion on file.
- CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)): no opinion on file.
- EFSA (European Food Safety Authority): Safety assessment of the active substance potassium metabisulfite, for use in active food contact materials (EFSA CEF) — 2016 — https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4465; Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of sulfur dioxide (E 220), sodium sulfite (E 221), sodium bisulfite (E 222), sodium metabisulfite (E 223), potassium metabisulfite (E 224), calcium sulfite (E 226), calcium bisulfite (E 227) and potassium bisulfite (E 228) as food additives (EFSA ANS) — 2016 — https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4438.
- JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives): JECFA evaluation lists ADI 0-0.7 mg/kg bw. Functional class: antioxidant, flour treatment agent, preservative. — https://apps.who.int/food-additives-contaminants-jecfa-database/Home/Chemical/1824; JECFA evaluation record. — https://apps.who.int/food-additives-contaminants-jecfa-database/Home/Chemical/3503.

## Data sources

- CosIng (updated 2026-09-23): https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/details/28804
- EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes (updated 2010-10-16): https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/reference/annexes/list/V
- EFSA OpenFoodTox (updated 2026-10-02): https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8120114
- EPA Chemical and Products Database (updated september 30, 2011): http://siri.org/msds/f2/bpl/bplsf.html
- EPA DSSTox Identifiers (updated 2025-12-29): https://epa.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Chemistry_Dashboard_Data_DSSTox_Identifiers_Mapped_to_CAS_Numbers_and_Names/5588566
- FDA Inactive Ingredient Database (updated 2026-01-09): https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/inactive-ingredients-database-download
- FDA GSRS UNII (updated 2026-02-26): https://precision.fda.gov/uniisearch/
- WHO JECFA Database (updated 2026-10-02): https://apps.who.int/food-additives-contaminants-jecfa-database/Home/Chemical/1824
- openFDA Substance (updated 2026-05-24): https://api.fda.gov/other/substance.json?search=unii:4VON5FNS3C
- PubChem Live Enrichment (updated 2026-05-17): https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/656671

_Assessed by Greenveil._