Database/Film Forming/Chitosan Succinamide
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Chitosan Succinamide natural?

It depends. Chitosan whose amine groups are acylated with succinic anhydride. The chitosan is always natural; the succinyl group follows the succinic-acid route, which the site treats as route-dependent.

INCI nameChitosan Succinamide
FunctionFilm Forming
FeedstockChitosan from crustacean shells reacted with succinic anhydride.

Why the score varies

This ingredient is made commercially by more than one route, and ISO 16128 scores the feedstock actually used. Without a supplier certificate of origin the value cannot be claimed.

RouteFeedstockNOIShareNotes
bio-based succinic anhydridechitosan (crustacean chitin) acylated with fermentation-derived succinic anhydride1.00Both fragments natural.
petrochemical succinic anhydridechitosan acylated with succinic anhydride from maleic anhydride0.62Chitosan unit 161.2/261.2 = 0.62.
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Per repeat unit at DS 1.0: glucosamine C6H11NO4 161.2 Da (chitin-derived, natural) + succinyl C4H4O3 100.1 Da, natural from fermentation succinic acid (1.00) or petrochemical from maleic anhydride (0.62). Headline shows the best route.
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 from crustacean shells reacted with succinic anhydride.

In plain English

A film-forming ingredient made by reacting chitosan, from crustacean shells, with a small acid building block called succinic acid, to make it more soluble. Leaves a light conditioning film on skin or hair.

CosIng definition: Chitosan, N-(3-carboxypropanoyl)-

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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. 2CHITOSAN SUCCINAMIDE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3CHITOSAN SUCCINAMIDE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CHITOSAN%20SUCCINAMIDE