Database/Fragrance/Pyruvic Acid
Route-dependent · ISO 16128

Is Pyruvic Acid natural?

It depends. Traditional route decarboxylates natural tartaric acid; alternative routes build the skeleton from petrochemical acetaldehyde or propylene glycol.

INCI namePyruvic Acid
CAS127-17-3
FormulaC3H4O3 · 88.06 Da
FunctionFragrance
FeedstockHistorically made by dry distillation of tartaric acid,…

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
Tartaric acid pyrolysis / glucose fermentationtartaric acid (grape/wine byproduct) or fermentation glucose1.00unclear
Petrochemical synthesisacetaldehyde/carbon monoxide or propylene glycol oxidation0.00unclear
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: carbon skeleton is natural if from tartaric acid pyrolysis or glucose fermentation, petrochemical if from acetaldehyde/propylene-glycol synthesis; dominant cosmetic-grade route unclear.
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

Historically made by dry distillation of tartaric acid, a winemaking byproduct (natural route); also produced synthetically from petrochemical acetaldehyde or propylene glycol, and increasingly by glucose fermentation. Market share between routes is unclear.

In plain English

A small acid related to lactic acid, used here as a minor fragrance/processing ingredient. It can be made from natural tartaric acid or plant sugars, or synthesized from petrochemical feedstocks, depending on the supplier.

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Structure

2D structure of Pyruvic Acid

2-oxopropanoic acid

PubChem CID 1060 ↗

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. 2Pyruvic Acid. PubChem CID 1060. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PYRUVIC ACID. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PYRUVIC ACID. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PYRUVIC%20ACID