Database/Film Forming/Carboxymethyl Chitosan
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Carboxymethyl Chitosan natural?

Mostly. Chitosan backbone is natural (from chitin); the carboxymethyl substituent is petrochemical, introduced via chloroacetic acid.

INCI nameCarboxymethyl Chitosan
CAS83512-85-0
FunctionFilm Forming · Gel Forming
FeedstockChitosan is derived from chitin in crustacean shells…

How we scored it

Assumed DS 0.8: chitosan monomer 161Da (natural) + 0.8x carboxymethyl group (46Da, petrochemical from chloroacetate) = 207Da total. 161/207 = 0.78.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Chitosan is derived from chitin in crustacean shells (or fungal fermentation), then reacted with petrochemical sodium chloroacetate to add carboxymethyl groups.

In plain English

A film-forming and gelling ingredient made by attaching carboxymethyl groups to chitosan, a natural polymer derived from chitin in crustacean shells or fungal fermentation.

CosIng definition: Chitosan, N-(carboxymethyl)

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References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2CARBOXYMETHYL CHITOSAN. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3CARBOXYMETHYL CHITOSAN. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CARBOXYMETHYL%20CHITOSAN