Database/Hair Conditioning/Sodium Glutamate
100% natural origin · ISO 16128

Is Sodium Glutamate natural?

Yes. Glutamic acid is produced by bacterial fermentation of glucose; sodium salt uses a natural mineral counter-ion.

INCI nameSodium Glutamate
CAS142-47-2
FormulaC5H8NNaO4 · 169.11 Da
FunctionHair Conditioning · Fragrance
FeedstockMade by fermenting glucose or molasses with Corynebacterium…

How we scored it

Glutamic acid (fermentation amino acid) sodium salt; all atoms natural-origin = 169/169 = 1.0
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

Made by fermenting glucose or molasses with Corynebacterium glutamicum, then neutralizing with sodium. Single dominant commercial route.

In plain English

The sodium salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid made by fermenting sugar; used to condition hair and skin and as a fragrance ingredient.

Structure

2D structure of Sodium Glutamate

sodium (2S)-2-amino-5-hydroxy-5-oxopentanoate

PubChem CID 23672308 ↗

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. 2Sodium Glutamate. PubChem CID 23672308. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3SODIUM GLUTAMATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4SODIUM GLUTAMATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SODIUM%20GLUTAMATE