RIFM publishes safety assessment
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Based on opinion of an independent expert panel, "there are no safety concerns regarding unsaturated branched chain alcohols under the present declared levels of use and exposure" in fragrance industry, says Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, the scientific arm of the International Fragrance Association. Published online, report finds that use of such materials in concentrations of 2% to 30% has been linked to no evidence or only minimal evidence of skin irritation in humans, and the ingredients will not induce sensitization though they could elicit a reaction in individuals who are already sensitized. Experts determine there is no evidence of phototoxicity, acute toxicity, systemic toxicity (after repeated application), developmental toxicity, genotoxicity or carcinogenicity associated with the substances. Like the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel, RIFM's team organizes ingredients together based on structural similarities, "enabling consistency in predicting metabolism and toxicity and conserv[ing] resources by reducing duplicate testing" (1"The Rose Sheet" Sept. 6, 2010)