EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning | CELLULOSE GUM

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HOME / INGREDIENTS / Cellulose gum

CELLULOSE GUM

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COMMONLY FOUND IN

air freshener dish detergent or soap, hand laundry additive, stain remover laundry detergent laundry detergent, he/high efficiency laundry detergent pods, powder products for babies

SYNONYMS

SODIUM;2,3,4,5,6-PENTAHYDROXYHEXANAL;ACETATE, SODIUM CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE, CELLULOSE GUM, 9004-32-4, CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE, SODIUM SALT, AVERAGE M.W. 250000 (DS=0.7), CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE, SODIUM SALT, AVERAGE M.W. 250000 (DS=0.9), CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE, SODIUM SALT, AVERAGE M.W. 250000 (DS=1.2), CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE, SODIUM SALT, AVERAGE M.W. 700000 (DS=0.9), CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE, SODIUM SALT, AVERAGE M.W. 90000 (DS=0.7), CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE CELLULOSE CARBOXYMETHYL ETHER

Common Concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

No Data

Asthma / Respiratory
LOW

Skin Allergies & Irritation
No Data

Developmental & Reproductive Toxicity
No Data

Cancer
No Data

Environment

Top Scoring Factors

Low concern for damage to DNA; acute aquatic toxicity; general systemic/organ effects

Ingredient concerns

CONCERNS

Health Issue	Level of Concern	Source

The European Union Ecolabel program reports this substance is not anaerobically degradable.	some	EU Ecolabel: Detergents Ingredients Database
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives reports this substance may have a laxative effect in people. Only in: Food Scores®	some	Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). 1990. Toxicological evaluation of certain food additives and contaminants. WHO Food Additives Series, No. 26, 1990, nos 680-693 on INCHEM. 687. Modified celluloses (WHO Food Additives Series 26).
A Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel reports that this substance is not irritating to the skin.	low	Cosmetic Ingredient Review. 1986. 1: Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Hydroxyethylcellulose, Gum Hydroxypropylcellulose, Methylcellulose, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, and Cellulose. International Journal of Toxicology 5(3), 1-59.
A Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel reports that this substance is not a skin sensitizer	low	Cosmetic Ingredient Review. 1986. 1: Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Hydroxyethylcellulose, Gum Hydroxypropylcellulose, Methylcellulose, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, and Cellulose. International Journal of Toxicology 5(3), 1-59.
The European Union Ecolabel program reports this substance in inherently biodegradable.	low	EU Ecolabel: Detergents Ingredients Database
European Union Ecolabel program data shows this substance has moderate acute toxicity to aquatic life Only in: Household Cleaners	low	EU Ecolabel: Detergents Ingredients Database
This substance is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) as a food additive by the US Food and Drug Administration Only in: Household Cleaners	low	U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): FDA - Priority based Assessment of Food Additive (PAFA)
A Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel reports that this substance shows very low acute toxicity (high LD50 value).	low	Cosmetic Ingredient Review. 1986. 1: Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Hydroxyethylcellulose, Gum Hydroxypropylcellulose, Methylcellulose, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, and Cellulose. International Journal of Toxicology 5(3), 1-59.
A Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel reports that this substance is not mutagenic	low	Cosmetic Ingredient Review. 1986. 1: Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Hydroxyethylcellulose, Gum Hydroxypropylcellulose, Methylcellulose, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, and Cellulose. International Journal of Toxicology 5(3), 1-59.