What is it?
A naturally occurring carbohydrate made of chains of fructose, some of which end in a single glucose unit. It belongs to the fructans, a group of plant carbohydrates, and commercial inulin is typically extracted from chicory root. In food it is used as dietary fiber and a prebiotic, meaning it feeds certain beneficial gut bacteria. In cosmetics it is used as a skin-conditioning humectant that helps skin and hair hold moisture.
Key information
- Inulin is a fructose-based plant carbohydrate, commercially extracted from chicory root.
- The CIR Expert Panel concluded in 2015 that inulin is safe in the present practices of use and concentration in cosmetics.
- It was reported in 41 cosmetic products, at up to 3 percent.
- The FDA has responded with "no questions" to several notices concluding that inulin is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for food use.
More information
Inulin is a fructan: a chain of fructose units that, when fully broken down, yields fructose and glucose. Shorter chains, averaging fewer than 10 units, are called oligofructose or fructooligosaccharides (FOS). For cosmetics it is extracted from the roots of chicory (Cichorium intybus). The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel reviewed inulin and several modified forms, such as stearoyl inulin, as part of a large assessment of plant polysaccharide gums, and concluded in a 2015 final report that they are safe in the present practices of use and concentration. Inulin was reported in 41 products at up to 3 percent.
In the diet, inulin is a non-digestible fiber that selectively feeds certain bacteria in the colon. Rats fed a diet containing 7.5 percent inulin for 13 weeks showed no remarkable changes. A modified form, carboxymethyl inulin, did not irritate guinea pig skin even when tested undiluted, and did not cause allergic sensitization. The panel asked manufacturers to use good manufacturing practices to limit pesticide residues and heavy metals in plant-derived gums. For food use, the FDA has responded with “no questions” to several notices concluding that inulin is generally recognized as safe (GRAS), the first in 2003.
On labels it appears as inulin. Modified forms such as stearoyl inulin, palmitoyl inulin and sodium carboxymethyl inulin were covered by the same CIR conclusion. See also our profile for chicory root extract.
Sources: Cosmetic Ingredient Review: Safety assessment of polysaccharide gums as used in cosmetics, final report (2015); FDA: GRAS Notice Inventory, notices for inulin; Cosmetic Ingredient Review: Quick reference table of ingredient findings (September 2020)
