Amended Safety Assessment of Fatty Acyl Sarcosines and Sarcosinate Salts as Used in Cosmetics

The Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety (Panel) assessed the safety of 5 acyl sarcosines and 9 sarcosinate salts as used in cosmetics; all of these ingredients are reported to function in cosmetics as hair conditioning agents and most also can function as surfactants—cleansing agents. The ingredients reviewed in this assessment are composed of an amide comprising a fatty acyl residue and sarcosine and are either free acids or simple salts thereof. The Panel relied on relevant new data, including concentration of use, and considered data from the previous Panel report, such as the reaction of sarcosine with oxidizing materials possibly resulting in nitrosation and the formation of N-nitrososarcosine. The Panel concluded that these ingredients are safe as used in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating, but these ingredients should not be used in cosmetic products in which N-nitroso compounds may be formed.