Compared to the previous opinion, the refined version takes into account considerations such as dietary exposure and the age-dependent usage of oral care products by consumers.

On July 4, 2023, EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) published the refined scientific opinion on the use of water-soluble zinc salts in oral hygiene products. It is open for comments until September 8, 2023.¹

Water-soluble zinc salts are commonly used in oral cosmetic products to reduce the formation of oral malodor, tartar, and plaque. To ensure the safe use of these substances, SCCS released the opinion SCCS/1586/17 in June 2018, confirming the safety of up to 1% water-soluble zinc salts (as zinc) in toothpaste and up to 0.1% (as zinc) in mouthwash. In this opinion, SCCS also indicated that exposure to zinc might occur from sources other than cosmetics, such as daily dietary intake, which was not taken into account in the assessment.

In May 2021, the personal care association Cosmetics Europe submitted a new assessment dossier that included a review of the tolerable upper intake level (UL) of zinc, which is the maximum level of chronic intake from all sources that is unlikely to pose a risk of adverse health effects in humans. In response, SCCS conducted another safety assessment, and compiled this refined opinion. According to the latest assessment results, the use of water-soluble zinc salts is safe

• Up to 1% in toothpaste except for children under one year of age. For children up to one year of age, SCCS additionally recommends a safe concentration of 0.72% in toothpaste;
• Up to 0.1% in mouthwash across all age groups.

Further Reading

• EU to Adopt 11 Changes to the Use Requirements for Cosmetic Ingredients
• EU Proposes Amendments to Use Restrictions on D4, D5, D6 in Cosmetics
• EU Announces the Second Revision of Guidance on the Safety Assessment of Nanomaterials in Cosmetics

Reference Links

[1] SCCS—Preliminary Opinion Open for Comments on Water-soluble Zinc Salts Used in Oral Hygiene Products—Submission II

출처 : Chemlinked