The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviewed the safety of potassium sorbate and determined that this ingredient is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) as a preservative for direct addition to food. Potassium sorbate is mainly used as a food additive but can also be used in cosmetics and skincare products.
The safety of potassium sorbate has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that potassium sorbate was safe for use in cosmetics and personal care products.
The research was conducted using a concentrated solution of potassium sorbate, 10%. This concentration is much higher than the concentrations used in cosmetic products, most cosmetics and skincare products contain 1%. At this higher concentration, potassium sorbate was non-irritating to the eye and was only slightly irritating to the skin. In 2006, as part of the scheduled re-evaluation of ingredients, the CIR Expert Panel considered available new data on these ingredients and reaffirmed the above conclusion.
