Phosphoric Acid

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed the safety of Phosphoric Acid and determined that it is 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.) as a multipurpose food substance. Phosphoric Acid is also approved for use 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.. It may be used as an adjuvant and production aid to modify starchA complex carbohydrate widely distributed among plants. It is the chief storage form of carbohydrates in plants. for use in food packaging.

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives has established a Maximum Tolerable Daily Intake of 70 mg/kg body weight (as phosphorus from all sources) for Phosphoric Acid.
http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jeceval/jec_1924.htm

The FDA’s Select Committee on GRAS Substances (SCOGS) concluded that there was no evidence in the available information on Phosphoric Acid that demonstrates, or suggests reasonable grounds to suspect, a hazard to the public when it is used at levels that are now current or might reasonably be expected in the future.
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/opascogc.html

Link to FDA Code of Federal Regulations for Phosphoric Acid

• http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr…
• http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr…

The Environmental Protection Agency has conducted a chronic health hazard assessment for noncarcinogenic effects of Phosphoric Acid.
http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0697.htm 

Phosphoric Acid 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…