What is it?
An extract of the fruit of the apricot tree, Prunus armeniaca. Apricots contain natural sugars, mainly sucrose, organic acids such as citric and malic acid, carotenoids such as beta-carotene, and polyphenols including chlorogenic acid and quercetin compounds. In cosmetics the extract is listed as a skin-conditioning ingredient. It is different from apricot kernel oil and apricot seed powder, which come from the pit.
Key information
- Apricot fruit is rich in carotenoids, with beta-carotene making up 33 to 84 percent of the total in one analysis.
- EFSA's cyanide warning concerns raw apricot kernels, which contain amygdalin; apricot fruit extract is made from the fruit.
- We found no dedicated safety review of apricot fruit extract by CIR or the EU's SCCS.
More information
A 2021 study of apricot composition found that sucrose makes up more than 63 percent of the fruit’s sugars and citric acid about 55 percent of its organic acids. Total carotenoids ranged from 0.44 to 3.50 mg per 100 g depending on the variety, and the fruit also contains phenolic acids such as chlorogenic, caffeic and ferulic acid and flavonols such as quercetin and rutin. What ends up in a cosmetic extract depends on the solvent and process used.
Safety data specific to cosmetic use are limited. Apricot fruit extract has not had a dedicated review by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel or the EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, and a literature search found no published skin irritation or allergy tests. Apricots are a common food, which is the main basis for considering the extract low risk.
The apricot’s alarming reputation comes from its pit. The kernels inside contain amygdalin, which turns into cyanide after eating. In 2016 the European Food Safety Authority advised that adults could eat about three small raw kernels, and toddlers about half of one, without exceeding a safe level. That warning is about raw apricot kernels and products made from them, not the fruit.
On labels the extract appears as Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Fruit Extract. Apricot kernel oil (Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil) and apricot seed powder are separate ingredients.
Sources: Foods (2021): Nutritional and Phytochemical Traits of Apricots (Prunus Armeniaca L.) for Application in Nutraceutical and Health Industry; EFSA: Apricot kernels pose risk of cyanide poisoning (2016)
