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.
| Route | Feedstock | NOI | Share | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural anethole oxidation | Star anise or fennel essential oil anethole, sodium neutralised | 1.00 | likely majority for cosmetic-grade and natural-certified material | |
| Petrochemical aromatic synthesis | p-cresol or synthetic anisole route, sodium neutralised | 0.13 | significant for industrial-grade anisic acid | only the 22.99 Da sodium counter-ion is natural origin |
How we scored it
How it’s made
Where it comes from
Cosmetic-grade sodium anisate is commonly made by oxidising anethole from star anise or fennel essential oil and neutralising with sodium hydroxide, and is sold in natural preservative-booster blends. An alternative route oxidises petrochemical p-cresol or anisole; the sodium is mineral in both cases.
In plain English
The sodium salt of anisic acid, an aromatic compound related to the scent of anise. Can be made industrially or derived from anise or fennel oil. Helps control microbial growth and adjusts pH.
CosIng definition: Sodium Anisate is the sodium salt of p-Anisic Acid.
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Structure
sodium 4-methoxybenzoate
References
- 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.
- 2Sodium Anisate. PubChem CID 23663627. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
- 3SODIUM ANISATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 4SODIUM ANISATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SODIUM%20ANISATE