Is POTASSIUM PCA safe to use in EU cosmetics?

POTASSIUM PCA is listed in the EU CosIng ingredient inventory with no direct annex restriction records linked at this time. Always verify against the current official CosIng database before formulating.

What other records share CAS 4810-50-8?

CAS 4810-50-8 may appear across multiple EU annex records. The CAS lookup page shows all Annex II–VI entries sharing this identifier, useful for identifying cross-annex regulatory status of the same chemical substance.

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Use the INCI Checker to screen a full ingredient list across selected markets, or use the substance market comparison to review this identity across all supported market datasets.

InventoryRef 3701215/10/2010

POTASSIUM PCA

Potassium 5-oxo-L-prolinate

POTASSIUM PCA is listed in the EU CosIng inventory, but no direct annex records are linked on this page yet.

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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.

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Chemical identity and properties

PubChem 2D chemical structure for CAS 4810-50-8

CAS 4810-50-8PubChem CID 23684897

Potassium pidolate

The CIR Expert Panel concluded that PCA (i.e., 2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid), calcium PCA, magnesium PCA, potassium PCA, and sodium PCA are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment. PCA and its salts should not be used in cosmetic products in which N-nitroso compounds can be formed. — Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

IUPAC name: potassium (2S)-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxylate

Molecular formula: C5H6KNO3
Molecular weight: 167.20 g/mol
Exact mass: 166.99847454 Da
Topological polar surface area: 69.2 Å²
Hydrogen-bond donors: 1
Hydrogen-bond acceptors: 3
Covalent units: 2
Defined stereocentres: 1

Also known as

Potassium 5-oxo-L-prolinatePotassium PCAKALIDONEEINECS 225-373-9H004M3556QL-Proline, 5-oxo-, monopotassium saltPOTASSIUM L-PYROGLUTAMATEPOTASSIUM PIDOLATE [WHO-DD]

12 more reported names

PROLINE, 5-OXO-, POTASSIUM SALT, L-POTASSIUM (S)-2-PYRROLIDONE-5-CARBOXYLATEL-PROLINE, 5-OXO-, POTASSIUM SALT (1:1)(S)-PYRROLIDONE-5-CARBOXYLIC ACID POTASSIUM SALTRefChem:867986POTASSIUM PCA [INCI]225-373-9potassium;(2S)-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxylatePotassium (S)-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxylateUNII-H004M3556Qpotassium pyroglutamatePotassium(S)-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxylate

Open full PubChem record PubChem annotations 3D structure image

External database identifiers

EPA DTXSID:DTXSID40197423

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 POTASSIUM PCA

INCI name

POTASSIUM PCA

Description

Potassium 5-oxo-L-prolinate

Record provenance

Inventory reference: 37012
Imported identity: POTASSIUM PCA
Source update: 15/10/2010

European Commission CosIng source notes

Annex records for POTASSIUM PCA

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Key data

CAS

4810-50-8

225-373-9

Restriction

—

Function

HUMECTANT: Retaining and/or preserving the moisture in a product during use.

Official EU ingredient-name evidence

The ingredient name exactly matches the official 2025 EU glossary of common ingredient names.

#22737 · POTASSIUM PCA

Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions

POTASSIUM LAUROYL PCAHUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING

POTASSIUM NICOTINOYL ALANYL GLUTAMINEANTIOXIDANT, HUMECTANT

POTASSIUM OLIVOYL PCACLEANSING, HUMECTANT

POTASSIUM PALMITOYL ASCORBYL GLUCOSIDEFRAGRANCE, HUMECTANT, SURFACTANT - CLEANSING, SURFACTANT - EMULSIFYING

POTASSIUM STEAROYL HYDROLYZED RICE PROTEINANTIOXIDANT, BINDING, EMULSION STABILISING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING - EMOLLIENT

POTENTILLA ANEMONIFOLIA EXTRACTHUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING

POTENTILLA ERECTA ROOT/(HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA/ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS/SALVIA OFFI…HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING

POUZOLZIA ZEYLANICA LEAF/STEM EXTRACTHUMECTANT

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

ECHA CHEM / Information on chemicals PubChem PUG REST EU Safety Gate cosmetic product alerts ECHA CHEM US EPA CompTox Cosmetic Ingredient Review safety assessments FDA Global Substance Registration System ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards Japan NITE-CHRIP NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards OECD eChemPortal

How POTASSIUM PCA appears in the CosIng inventory

The CosIng inventory lists POTASSIUM PCA 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.

POTASSIUM PCA is also tagged with 1 cosmetic function 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

POTASSIUM PCA is listed in the EU CosIng ingredient inventory with no direct annex restriction records linked at this time. Absence of an annex link does not guarantee unrestricted use — always verify against the current official CosIng database before formulating.

According to the EU CosIng inventory, POTASSIUM PCA carries the following function designation(s):

HUMECTANT

CAS 4810-50-8 may appear across multiple EU annex records. Viewing the CAS lookup page shows all Annex II–VI entries sharing this identifier, which is useful for identifying cross-annex regulatory status of the same chemical substance.

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Source note for POTASSIUM PCA

This page reproduces the CosIng inventory entry for POTASSIUM PCA 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 POTASSIUM PCA and compare linked records, but verify restrictions and legal status against the current official source text and law before making regulatory decisions.

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Tools & next steps

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