Is NINHYDRIN safe to use in EU cosmetics?

NINHYDRIN 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 485-47-2?

CAS 485-47-2 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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InventoryRef 5741315/10/2010

NINHYDRIN

2,2-Dihydroxy-1H-indene-1,3-(2H)-dione

NINHYDRIN 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 485-47-2

CAS 485-47-2PubChem CID 10236

Ninhydrin

Ninhydrin is a member of the class of indanones that is indane-1,3-dione bearing two additional hydroxy substituents at position 2. It has a role as a colour indicator and a human metabolite. It is a member of indanones, a ketone hydrate, a beta-diketone and an aromatic ketone. — ChEBI

IUPAC name: 2,2-dihydroxyindene-1,3-dione

Molecular formula: C9H6O4
Molecular weight: 178.14 g/mol
Exact mass: 178.02660867 Da
XLogP3: 0.1
Topological polar surface area: 74.6 Å²
Hydrogen-bond donors: 2
Hydrogen-bond acceptors: 4
Covalent units: 1
Defined stereocentres: 0

Also known as

Ninhydrin hydrate1,2,3-Indantrione monohydrate2,2-Dihydroxy-1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione1H-Indene-1,3(2H)-dione, 2,2-dihydroxy-Triketohydrindene hydrate2,2-Dihydroxy-1,3-indandione2,2-Dihydroxy-1,3-indanedione1,2,3-Indantrione, 2-hydrate

16 more reported names

1,3-Indandione, 2,2-dihydroxy-HCL6S9K23ACHEBI:86374Indantrione MonohydrateMonohydrate, IndantrioneRefChem:854157207-618-1Ninhydrine2,2-Dihydroxyindane-1,3-dioneNinhydrin Spray2,2-dihydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-indene-1,3-dioneTrioxohydrindene monohydrate2,2-Dihydroxy-1,3-dioxoindanCCRIS 4849EINECS 207-618-1UNII-HCL6S9K23A

Open full PubChem record PubChem annotations 3D structure image

External database identifiers

ChEBI:CHEBI:86374
ChEMBL:CHEMBL1221925
EPA DTXSID:DTXSID7025716
PubMed:35435491
PubMed:23105849
PubMed:22939137
PubMed:22925983
PubMed:22905533
PubMed:22732185
PubMed:22707862
PubMed:22693628
PubMed:22666225
PubMed:22666166
PubMed:22666103
PubMed:22655071

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 NINHYDRIN

INCI name

NINHYDRIN

Description

2,2-Dihydroxy-1H-indene-1,3-(2H)-dione

Record provenance

Inventory reference: 57413
Imported identity: NINHYDRIN
Source update: 15/10/2010

European Commission CosIng source notes

Annex records for NINHYDRIN

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Key data

CAS

485-47-2

207-618-1

Restriction

—

Function

REDUCING: Changing the chemical nature of another ingredient by adding hydrogen (or removing oxygen).

Official EU ingredient-name evidence

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

#17470 · NINHYDRIN

Ingredients with overlapping formulation functions

MAGNESIUM POWDERREDUCING

MAGNESIUM THIOGLYCOLATEDEPILATORY, HAIR WAVING OR STRAIGHTENING, REDUCING

MERCAPTOPROPIONIC ACIDDEPILATORY, HAIR WAVING OR STRAIGHTENING, REDUCING

METHYLSULFONYLPIPERIDINYLAMINO DIOXOTHIOMORPHOLINOMETHYL PHENYLINDOLEANTIOXIDANT, REDUCING, SKIN PROTECTING

OCTAPEPTIDE-15ANTIOXIDANT, REDUCING, SKIN PROTECTING

OLIGOPEPTIDE-30ANTIOXIDANT, CHELATING, HAIR CONDITIONING, REDUCING, SKIN PROTECTING

P-HYDROXYANISOLEANTIOXIDANT, REDUCING

PHALAENOPSIS APHRODITE CALLUS EXTRACTANTIOXIDANT, REDUCING, SKIN PROTECTING

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 NINHYDRIN appears in the CosIng inventory

The CosIng inventory lists NINHYDRIN 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.

NINHYDRIN 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

NINHYDRIN 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, NINHYDRIN carries the following function designation(s):

REDUCING

CAS 485-47-2 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 NINHYDRIN

This page reproduces the CosIng inventory entry for NINHYDRIN 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 NINHYDRIN 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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