Database/Buffering/Fumaric Acid
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Fumaric Acid natural?

It depends. Most commercial fumaric acid is made by isomerizing petrochemical maleic anhydride; a smaller share is fermented from glucose.

INCI nameFumaric Acid
CAS110-17-8
FormulaC4H4O4 · 116.07 Da
FunctionBuffering
FeedstockThe dominant industrial route isomerizes maleic anhydride made…

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
petrochemical isomerizationmaleic anhydride from benzene/n-butane oxidation0.00~75%
fermentationglucose (Rhizopus oryzae fermentation)1.00~25%
Ask your supplier. A batch-specific certificate of origin or bio-based carbon test (ASTM D6866) settles which route applies.

How we scored it

Dominant petrochemical route: maleic anhydride isomerization, NOI 0.0. Minor route: Rhizopus fermentation of glucose, NOI 1.0. Routes 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

The dominant industrial route isomerizes maleic anhydride made from benzene or n-butane oxidation. A minority of supply, often marketed as natural, is fermented from glucose using Rhizopus fungi.

In plain English

A small organic acid used to adjust pH. Most commercial supply is made by isomerizing petrochemical maleic anhydride, though some is produced by fermenting glucose with a fungal culture.

Natural alternatives with the same function

Alstonia Scholaris Bark Extract 100% natural origin

An extract of the bark of Alstonia scholaris, a tropical evergreen tree, made by soaking the bark in…

 Aluminum Lactate 100% natural origin

Aluminum lactate is a mineral salt of lactic acid, used in deodorants for its astringent, sweat-reducing properties and…

 Babassu Acid 100% natural origin

A blend of fatty acids from babassu palm seed oil, used to cleanse and help stabilise the texture…

 Bismuth Citrate 100% natural origin

A salt formed from bismuth metal and citric acid, a natural fermentation-derived fruit acid, used to buffer, chelate…

 Boric Acid 100% natural origin

A mild mineral acid mined from natural borate deposits or brine. Used in small amounts to buffer pH,…

 Calcium Carbonate 100% natural origin

A finely ground mineral powder from limestone or chalk. Bulks out powders and pastes, acts as a mild…

Structure

2D structure of Fumaric Acid

(E)-but-2-enedioic acid

PubChem CID 444972 ↗

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. 2Fumaric Acid. PubChem CID 444972. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3FUMARIC ACID. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4FUMARIC ACID. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=FUMARIC%20ACID