Magnesium Chloride

What Is It?

Magnesium Chloride is a colorless crystalline material that occurs naturally as the mineral bischofite. In cosmetics and personal care products, Magnesium Chloride is used to formulate many types of products including baby products, bath products, soaps and detergents; body and hand lotions, cleansing products, eye makeup and hair care products.

Why Is It Used?

Magnesium Chloride functions as a flavoring agentIngredients that impart a flavor or a taste to a product. and a viscosity increasing agent – aqueous.

Scientific Facts

Magnesium Chloride is highly soluble in water. It is increasingly being used for de-icing roadways as it is less toxic to plants, and less corrosive to concrete and steel than sodium chloride.

Safety Information

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes Magnesium Chloride on its list of direct food substances affirmed as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS“GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive.). Magnesium Chloride is also permitted for as an indirect food additiveIndirect food additives are additives that may become part of the food in trace amounts due to its packaging, storage or other handling. For example, minute amounts of packaging substances may find their way into foods during storage. for use in polymers used in food contact surfaces.

FDA: Link to Code of Federal Regulations for

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) reviewed the safety of Magnesium Chloride as used as a flavoring agent. They concluded that it was not necessary to establish an Acceptable Daily Intake for use of this ingredient in food.

Link to the JECFA safety evaluation of Magnesium Chloride:
http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jeceval/jec_1296.htm

Magnesium Chloride may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in Europe according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European UnionUnder the general provisions of the cosmetics regulation of the EU, ingredients appearing on the following function-specific annexes must comply with the listed restrictions and/or specifications: colorants (Annex IV), preservatives (Annex V), UV filters (Annex VI) and other ingredients with specific concentration limits and/or other restrictions (Annex III). Ingredients specifically prohibited from use in cosmetic products are listed in Annex II. Other ingredients listed in the EU cosmetic ingredient database (CosIng) may be used without restrictions..

Link to the EU Cosmetic Regulation:
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/consumers/product_labelling_and_p…

More Scientific Information

Magnesium Chloride may be included in dietary supplements to maintain adequate levels of magnesium in the body.

Resources

Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration

Food Ingredients and Packaging: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/default.htm

Food Contact Substances: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/defaul…

Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS): http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/default.htm

Search the Code of Federal Regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm

EU Cosmetics Inventory http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/