Benzoic acid on your skin: a safety profile
Low risk(People-specific data is limited; this page draws from human adult context.) Benzoic acid (C₆H₅COOH; benzenecarboxylic acid; E210) is an aromatic carboxylic acid naturally occurring in many plant-derived foods (cranberries, prunes, cinnamon, cloves) and is widely used as a food preservative (and as its sodium salt, sodium benzoate, E211) — it is one of the oldest used food preservatives, with antimicrobial activity against yeasts, molds, and some bacteria in acidic foods (pH <4.5). FDA GRAS status: benzoic acid is GRAS as a food preservative; the sodium salt form (sodium benzoate) is more commonly used due to better water solubility (see hq-c-org-000305). Pharmacokinetic profile: oral benzoic acid is rapidly absorbed from the GI tract; hepatic conjugation with glycine via glycine N-acyltransferase (GNAT) produces hippuric acid (benzoylglycine) — quantitatively the major metabolite, rapidly excreted in urine; this is the same efficient detoxification pathway as sodium benzoate. Acute oral toxicity: low — oral LD50 in rats approximately 1700–3000 mg/kg; hippuric acid excretion efficiently removes absorbed benzoate. Regulatory uses: antimicrobial preservative in food (up to 0.1%), pharmaceuticals (benzoic acid in topical antifungal/antibacterial preparations), and personal care products. Topical pharmaceutical: benzoic acid is used in combination formulations for skin infections (Whitfield's ointment — 6% benzoic acid + 3% salicylic acid — for dermatophyte infections, tinea pedis). Benzene formation from benzoic acid compounds + ascorbic acid: benzoic acid (as sodium benzoate) in beverages containing ascorbic acid (Fenton chemistry) can form trace benzene — same concern as with sodium benzoate (hq-c-org-000305). ADI (EFSA 2016): 0–5 mg/kg bw/day for benzoic acid equivalents.
What is benzoic acid?
Also known as: Dracylic acid, benzenecarboxylic acid, Benzeneformic acid, Carboxybenzene.
- IUPAC name
- benzoic acid
- CAS number
- 65-85-0
- Molecular formula
- C7H6O2
- Molecular weight
- 122.12 g/mol
- SMILES
- C1=CC=C(C=C1)C(=O)O
- PubChem CID
- 243
Risk for people
Low riskBenzoic acid (C₆H₅COOH; benzenecarboxylic acid; E210) is an aromatic carboxylic acid naturally occurring in many plant-derived foods (cranberries, prunes, cinnamon, cloves) and is widely used as a food preservative (and as its sodium salt, sodium benzoate, E211) — it is one of the oldest used food preservatives, with antimicrobial activity against yeasts, molds, and some bacteria in acidic foods (pH <4.5). FDA GRAS status: benzoic acid is GRAS as a food preservative; the sodium salt form (sodium benzoate) is more commonly used due to better water solubility (see hq-c-org-000305). Pharmacokinetic profile: oral benzoic acid is rapidly absorbed from the GI tract; hepatic conjugation with glycine via glycine N-acyltransferase (GNAT) produces hippuric acid (benzoylglycine) — quantitatively the major metabolite, rapidly excreted in urine; this is the same efficient detoxification pathway as sodium benzoate. Acute oral toxicity: low — oral LD50 in rats approximately 1700–3000 mg/kg; hippuric acid excretion efficiently removes absorbed benzoate. Regulatory uses: antimicrobial preservative in food (up to 0.1%), pharmaceuticals (benzoic acid in topical antifungal/antibacterial preparations), and personal care products. Topical pharmaceutical: benzoic acid is used in combination formulations for skin infections (Whitfield's ointment — 6% benzoic acid + 3% salicylic acid — for dermatophyte infections, tinea pedis). Benzene formation from benzoic acid compounds + ascorbic acid: benzoic acid (as sodium benzoate) in beverages containing ascorbic acid (Fenton chemistry) can form trace benzene — same concern as with sodium benzoate (hq-c-org-000305). ADI (EFSA 2016): 0–5 mg/kg bw/day for benzoic acid equivalents.
Regulatory consensus
4 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Benzoic acid. The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPA CTX / IRIS | — | D (Not classifiable as to human carcinogenicity) | |
| EPA CTX / EPA OPP | — | Group D Not Classifiable as to Human Carcinogenicity | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 12 positive / 8 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 12 positive / 8 negative reports) |
Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.
Where you encounter benzoic acid
- Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
- Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles
- Food — processed food, beverages, candy, baked goods
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Fragrance
— perfume, cologne, scented personal care products, household fragrance products, candles
Identified in Fragrance Ingredient Safety Priority Research database (2,325 ingredients)
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Benzoic acid:
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Physical/mechanical pest control (IPM)
Trade-offs: More labor-intensive. May not be sufficient for severe infestations.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
Frequently asked questions
What products contain benzoic acid?
Benzoic acid appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments); processed food (Food).
Why do regulators disagree about benzoic acid?
Benzoic acid has been classified by 4 agencies including EPA CTX / IRIS, EPA CTX / EPA OPP, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.
See Benzoic acid in the body app
Look up products containing benzoic acid, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
Open in body View raw API dataSources (2)
- EFSA ANS Panel: Re-evaluation of Benzoic Acid (E 210) — ADI 5 mg/kg bw/day; hippuric acid metabolism; GNAT glycine conjugation; benzene formation; benzyl alcohol neonatal gasping syndrome; dietary exposure (2016) (2016) — regulatory
- FDA GRAS: Benzoic Acid — food preservative pH <4.5; antimicrobial mechanism; Whitfield's ointment; oral LD50 1700–3000 mg/kg; natural occurrence in cranberries/prunes; sodium benzoate relationship (2021) (2021) — regulatory
Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →