Database/Colorant/CI 40800
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is CI 40800 natural?

It depends. Beta-carotene is chemically identical however made; natural-origin credit depends entirely on whether it was extracted or built by total synthesis.

INCI nameCI 40800
CAS116-32-5
FormulaC40H56 · 536.9 Da
FunctionColorant
FeedstockBeta-carotene cosmetic colourant is supplied either extracted from…

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
natural extractionDunaliella salina algae or palm/carrot oil1.00~35%
total synthesispetrochemical (Wittig coupling from beta-ionone-type intermediates)0.00~65%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Route-dependent: natural route uses algae/palm carotenoid extraction (C40H56 intact, n=1 throughout); synthetic route builds the same molecule via Wittig coupling from petrochemical intermediates (n=0 throughout). Not averaged.
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

Beta-carotene cosmetic colourant is supplied either extracted from Dunaliella algae or palm/carrot oil, or manufactured by total chemical synthesis, which supplies the larger share of bulk commodity volume. Both routes are commercially significant.

In plain English

Beta-carotene, the orange pigment also found in carrots and palm oil, used to colour cosmetics. It can come from algae or palm oil, but most cosmetic-grade material is made by chemical synthesis instead.

CosIng definition: CI 40800 is classed chemically as a carotenoid colour. It conforms to the formula:

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Structure

2D structure of CI 40800

1,3,3-trimethyl-2-[(1E,3E,5E,7E,9E,11E,13E,15E,17E)-3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-18-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)octadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaenyl]cyclohexene

PubChem CID 5280489 ↗

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. 2CI 40800. PubChem CID 5280489. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CI 40800. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CI 40800. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CI%2040800