Is Sodium Levulinate Natural?

Q: Is Sodium Levulinate natural?

Sodium Levulinate has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.50 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Sodium levulinate is primarily synthesized from levulinic acid, which can be derived from either petrochemical sources or renewable biomass, leading to a 0.5 NOI value. An NOI of 0.50 means 50% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

Learn about Sodium Levulinate — its natural origin index (ISO 16128), feedstock sources, synthesis process, and renewability classification.

0.5

out of 1.0

Natural Origin Index

INCI NameSodium Levulinate

IUPAC Namesodium 4-oxopentanoate

FormulaC5H7NaO3

PubChem CID23662139 ↗

FunctionSkin Conditioning Agent · Humectant

FeedstockThe primary feedstock for sodium

Chemical Structure

Learn about Sodium Levulinate — its natural origin index (ISO 16128), feedstock sources, synthesis process, and renewability classification.

View full data on PubChem ↗

Quick Facts

INCI NameSodium Levulinate
IUPAC Namesodium 4-oxopentanoate
Molecular FormulaC5H7NaO3
PubChem CID23662139 ↗
FunctionsSkin Conditioning AgentHumectantPreservative Booster
Primary FeedstockThe primary feedstock for sodium levulinate is levulinic acid. Levulinic acid can be produced from the acid hydrolysis of carbohydrates derived from biomass, such as cellulose or starch (renewable route). Alternatively, it can be synthesized through petrochemical pathways, though this is less common for cosmetic-grade ingredients.
NOI Score0.5 / 1.0
TierMostly Renewable

Description

Learn about Sodium Levulinate — its natural origin index (ISO 16128), feedstock sources, synthesis process, and renewability classification.

References

1ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products — Part 2. ISO, Geneva.
2Sodium Levulinate. National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem CID 23662139. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗