Do you think hydroxyethyl Cellulose is safe?
It is widely used in cosmetics, medicines and food, although at first people do not pay much attention to the chemical composition, but with the increase of safety awareness, more and more people begin to pay attention to the safety of use, especially the chemical composition in product.
Hydroxyethyl cellulose is used as a suspension agent and emulsifier in cosmetics, and as a thickener and stabilizer in food. This has caused concern among many people who worry that these ingredients may be harmful to the human body – especially when cosmetics come into direct contact with the skin and foods are part of our daily diet.
In fact, hydroxyethyl cellulose is derived from cellulose, an organic compound in the cell walls of plants, through non-ionic water-soluble polymers extracted from cellulose. Because of its water solubility, thickening, water retention, film formation, stability and biocompatibility, it is used as a thickener, stabilizer and gelling agent. Because of these unique properties, hydroxyethyl cellulose is used in a wide range of industries, including construction, oilfield extraction, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal care, paper, coatings and paints, textiles, pesticides, ceramics and the food industry.
However, in products directly touched or consumed by consumers, if the concentration of hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) is too high, it may directly lead to serious side effects such as skin and eye irritation, indigestion, and allergic reactions. Therefore, the concentration of the product is usually strictly controlled during the production process. In cosmetics, the concentration of HEC is generally between 0.1% and 2%, so that it can play its role of thickening and stabilizing without causing irritation to the skin. In food, the amount of HEC used is also strictly regulated, usually between 0.1% and 1%, to ensure consumer safety.
In addition, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has conducted a detailed assessment of the safety of hydroxyethyl cellulose. These assessments confirm the safety of hydroxyethyl cellulose for use in food and provide a scientific basis for regulators and the food industry to ensure that public health is protected. At the same time, the International Cosmetic Ingredients Review Committee (CIR) has also conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the safety of hydroxyethyl cellulose. The CIR report concluded that the use of hydroxyethyl cellulose in cosmetics is safe, based on toxicological data and a comprehensive analysis of its use in different concentrations and environments. These assessments thoroughly covered the use of hydroxyethyl cellulose in skin care, hair care, and other personal care products.
Therefore, under the specified standard concentration, hydroxyethyl cellulose is safe in practical applications. So you don’t need to be afraid of it, you don’t need to be concerned about its safety, you can use products that contain hydroxyethyl cellulose with confidence. At the same time, companies and regulators will continue to fulfill their responsibility to ensure that the use of hydroxyethyl cellulose in manufactured products is always within safe concentrations to protect public health and safety.
References:
1. European Food Safety Authority, “Re-evaluation of celluloses E 460(i), E 460(ii), E 461, E 462, E 463, E 464, E 465, E 466, E 468 and E 469 as food additives”, EFSA Journal, 2018. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/5047
2. International Cosmetic Ingredients Review Committee,”Cosmetic Ingredient Review”