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Data: Fair

Acacia Senegal Gum

SEARCH PRODUCTS

Other Concerns

Use restrictions (low) and Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (moderate)

SYNONYMS

● GUM ARABIC
● ACACIA GUM
● ACACIA GUM (ACACIA SENEGAL (L.) WILLD.)
● ACACIA SENEGAL GUM
● GUM ARABIC

Restricted

Restricted: EWG VERIFIED products cannot contain this ingredient without adequate substantiation

This gum is prepared from the dried, sap of the acacia tree, Acacia senegal.

Common concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • MODERATE
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • LOW
    Use Restrictions

Ingredient concerns

  • CONCERNS
  • DATA SOURCES

Products with this Ingredient

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mascara234 products
eye liner53 products
facial moisturizer/treatment40 products
serums & essences33 products
foundation28 products
mask24 products
facial cleanser18 products
body wash/cleanser13 products
toothpaste12 products
around-eye cream12 products
moisturizer12 products
brow liner10 products
shampoo9 products
hair styling aide7 products
concealer7 products
lipstick7 products
exfoliant/scrub7 products
body powder7 products
recreational sunscreen6 products
conditioner6 products
daily use with SPF6 products
hair treatment/serum5 products
toners/astringents5 products
makeup primer5 products
bath oil/salts/soak5 products
styling gel/lotion5 products
antiperspirant/deodorant4 products
mouthwash3 products
BB cream3 products
eye shadow3 products
liquid hand soap3 products
bar soap3 products
muscle/joint soreness2 products
anti-aging2 products
detangler2 products
makeup remover1 products
baby sunscreen1 products
hand cream1 products
setting powder/spray1 products
1 products
bubble bath1 products
lip balm1 products
depilatory1 products
styling mousse/foam1 products
foot odor control1 products
tanning oil1 products
after sun product1 products
tooth whitening1 products
body firming lotion1 products
baby lotion1 products
hair spray1 products
lip balm with SPF1 products
body oil1 products

Allergies/immunotoxicity

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Human immune and respiratory toxicant or allergen - strong evidenceAssociation of Occupational and Environmental Clinics
Human skin toxicant or allergen - strong evidenceCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
Human skin toxicant or allergen - strong evidenceEWG Assessment of Open Scientific Literature
Limited evidence of any toxicity or allergiesOpen scientific literature

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Classified as medium human health priorityEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmfulEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Use restrictions

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Determined safe for use in cosmetics, subject to concentration or use limitations - Restrictions on impurities recommended by industry safety panelCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments

Miscellaneous

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Prohibited for use in foodOpen scientific literature

Data gaps

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in productCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
Considered safe based on assumption of low absorptionCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
2597 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemicalNLM PubMed

Ecotoxicology

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Not suspected to be an environmental toxinEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Multiple, additive exposure sources

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in foodFDA Food Additive Status
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in foodCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in foodFDA Everything Added to Food

Informational

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - anyCosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments
  • AOEC (Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics). 2009. AEOC exposures codes and asthmagen designation.
  • CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
  • EWG Assessment of Open Scientific Literature
  • Open scientific/peer reviewed literature
  • EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
  • NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
  • FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006.
  • FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG VERIFIED™ mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Score legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST
Low Availability
Moderate Availability
High Availability
NONE

Ingredients have not been assessed.

LIMITED-FAIR

There is only a modest volume of research.

GOOD-ROBUST

Ingredients have been studied extensively.

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