LEVULINIC ACID
4-Oxovaleric acid
LEVULINIC ACID is listed in the EU CosIng inventory, but no direct annex records are linked on this page yet.
Regulatory evidence by market
No rule for this ingredient has been imported for any of the 13 markets tracked here.
That describes this inventory, not the law. No imported rule is not evidence that an ingredient is permitted: a rule may exist under another name or identifier, or in a dataset not yet imported here.
Chemical identity and properties
Levulinic Acid
4-oxopentanoic acid is an oxopentanoic acid with the oxo group in the 4-position. It has a role as a plant metabolite. It is an oxopentanoic acid and a straight-chain saturated fatty acid. It is a conjugate acid of a 4-oxopentanoate. — ChEBI
- IUPAC name
- 4-oxopentanoic acid
- Molecular formula
- C5H8O3
- Molecular weight
- 116.11 g/mol
- Exact mass
- 116.047344113 Da
- XLogP3
- -0.5
- Topological polar surface area
- 54.4 Ų
- Hydrogen-bond donors
- 1
- Hydrogen-bond acceptors
- 3
- Covalent units
- 1
- Defined stereocentres
- 0
Also known as
16 more reported names
External database identifiers
- ChEBI:CHEBI:45630
- ChEMBL:CHEMBL1235931
- EPA DTXSID:DTXSID8021648
- PubMed:22908534
- PubMed:22891691
- PubMed:22890968
- PubMed:22887922
- PubMed:22856583
- PubMed:22856559
- PubMed:22730169
- PubMed:22728786
- PubMed:22705534
- PubMed:22696262
- PubMed:22609675
- PubMed:22609656
Evidence from additional scientific databases
NIH PubChem PUG-View
Attributed physical-property, hazard, environmental and use annotations.
- Boiling Point: 245.5 °C Source: DrugBank
- Boiling Point: 245.00 to 246.00 °C. @ 760.00 mm Hg Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)
- Boiling Point: 245 °C Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
- Density: 1.136-1.147 (20 °C) Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
- pKa: 4.64 (at 18 °C) Source: DrugBank
- LogP: -0.49 Source: DrugBank
- LogP: -0.49 Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)
- Melting Point: 33 °C Source: DrugBank
- Melting Point: 30 - 33 °C Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)
- Physical Description: Liquid Source: EPA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR)
- Physical Description: Solid; Product of industry is yellow; mp = 33-35 deg C; [Merck Index] Solid; mp = 30-33 deg C; [Sigma-Aldrich MSDS] Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
- Physical Description: Solid Source: Human Metabolome Database (HMDB)
- Physical Description: yellow to brown liquid which may congeal; with mild caramellic odour Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
- Refractive Index: 1.439-1.445 Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
- Solubility: soluble in water, alcohol, and oil Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
- Solubility: 1 mL in 1 mL 95% alcohol (in ethanol) Source: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)
- Signal: Danger Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- GHS Hazard Statements: H302 (99.9%): Harmful if swallowed [Warning Acute toxicity, oral]; H315 (88.6%): Causes skin irritation [Warning Skin corrosion/irritation]; H317 (10.8%): May cause an allergic skin reaction [Warning Sensitization, Skin]; H318 (10.8%): Causes serious eye damage [Danger Serious eye damage/eye irritation]; H319 (88.4%): Causes serious eye irritation [Warning Serious eye damage/eye irritation] Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- Precautionary Statement Codes: P261, P264, P264+P265, P270, P272, P280, P301+P317, P302+P352, P305+P351+P338, P305+P354+P338, P317, P321, P330, P332+P317, P333+P317, P337+P317, P362+P364, and P501 (click each P-code to see the statement) Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- ECHA C&L Notifications Summary: Aggregated GHS information provided per 1892 reports by companies from 16 notifications to the ECHA C&L Inventory. Each notification may be associated with multiple companies.; Information may vary between notifications depending on impurities, additives, and other factors. The percentage value in parenthesis indicates the notified classification ratio from companies that provide hazard codes. Only hazard codes with percentage values above 10% are shown. For more detailed information, please visit ECHA C&L website. Source: European Chemicals Agency (ECHA)
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review Finding(s): Safe in the present practices of use and concentration. Ingredient, concentration, and use information are available in documents discoverable at https://cir-reports.cir-safety.org Source: Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
- Consumer Uses: Intermediate Source: EPA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR)
- Industry Uses: Laboratory chemicals; Intermediate Source: EPA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR)
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review Link: CIR ingredient: Levulinic Acid Source: Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
- Sources/Uses: Used to make nylon, synthetic rubber, plastic, and medicinals; [Merck Index] Used as a flavoring agent; [FDA] Used to flavor animal feeds; [ExPub: EFSA - FEEDAP] Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
- Industrial Processes with risk of exposure: Farming (Feed Additives) [Category: Industry] Source: Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases
Mapped by: Existing checksum-valid CAS to unique PubChem CID match. Retrieved: 2026-08-31. Open source record
Scientific classifications and hazard annotations provide context and do not replace the market-specific regulatory decision shown above.
Additional source coverage and match status
| Source | Result | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| NIH PubChem PUG-View | Exact match | 2026-08-31 |
A recorded no-match is useful evidence that the source was checked; it is not a claim that the substance does not exist elsewhere.
Retrieved from NIH PubChem on 2026-08-31 by checksum-valid CAS matching. Chemical properties do not replace the regulatory decision on this page.
Inventory details for LEVULINIC ACID
INCI name
LEVULINIC ACID
Description
4-Oxovaleric acid
Record provenance
- Inventory reference
- 35007
- Imported identity
- LEVULINIC ACID
- Source update
- 15/10/2010
Annex records for LEVULINIC ACID
Key data
- PERFUMING
- Used for perfume and aromatic raw materials.
- SKIN CONDITIONING
- Maintaining the skin in good condition.
Official EU ingredient-name evidence
The ingredient name exactly matches the official 2025 EU glossary of common ingredient names.
Related inventory evidence
Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions
Additional official and scientific sources
11 external databases to check this identity in
Each link searches that source for this identity. What each source is, and its legal weight
How LEVULINIC ACID appears in the CosIng inventory
The CosIng inventory lists LEVULINIC ACID as a cosmetic ingredient and this page links it to 0 annex records. The inventory entry captures names and identifiers, while the annex records show where the substance is prohibited, restricted or positively listed in EU cosmetics law.
LEVULINIC ACID is also tagged with 2 cosmetic functions in the official data. Function labels describe intended use, but they do not replace regulatory review of linked annex records before formulation or labelling work.
Frequently asked questions
Source note for LEVULINIC ACID
This page reproduces the CosIng inventory entry for LEVULINIC ACID from public European Commission cosmetic ingredient materials and shows linked identifiers even when no direct annex match is currently attached.
Use this inventory page to research LEVULINIC ACID and compare linked records, but verify restrictions and legal status against the current official source text and law before making regulatory decisions.
Tools & next steps
Check your formula
Scan a full INCI list to detect LEVULINIC ACID and any linked EU annex restrictions or allergen flags.
INCI CheckerSearch similar ingredients
Find other inventory ingredients and annex entries related to LEVULINIC ACID, its identifiers or nearby name variants.
Search