What is it?
An extract of the garden pea plant, Pisum sativum. Under its international ingredient name it covers extracts of the whole plant, and what it contains depends on the plant parts and solvent used. In cosmetics it is listed as a skin-conditioning and skin-protecting ingredient. Pea protein and hydrolyzed pea protein, which are also used in personal care products, are separate ingredients.
Key information
- The CIR Expert Panel found pea protein and hydrolyzed pea protein safe as used in cosmetics in 2022; we found no dedicated review of whole-plant pea extract.
- Pea is a legume, and pea allergy exists; its storage proteins vicilin and convicilin are considered potential major allergens.
- Pea is not one of the priority food allergens that must be declared on food labels.
More information
Peas are an everyday food. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel reviewed 19 plant-derived proteins and peptides, including pea protein and hydrolyzed pea protein, and in its 2022 report concluded that 18 of them, among them both pea ingredients, are safe in the present practices of use and concentration. Whole-plant pea extract was not part of that review. We found no dedicated safety assessment of it by CIR or the EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, and no published skin irritation or allergy tests.
The main issue with peas is food allergy. Pea is a legume, and its storage proteins vicilin and convicilin are considered potential major allergens. Pea proteins can cross-react with those of peanut and other legumes, and in the Mediterranean area and India, cross-reactivity among pea, lentil and chickpea is common. Unlike peanut, pea is not among the priority allergens that must be declared on food labels.
Eating a food and applying a small amount of a plant extract to the skin are different exposures, and nothing in the available research points to a specific skin hazard from pea extract. People with a known legume allergy may still want to note pea ingredients on labels. Look for Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract, and separately for Pisum Sativum (Pea) Protein, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein and pea peptide.
Sources: International Journal of Toxicology (2022): Safety Assessment of Plant-Derived Proteins and Peptides as Used in Cosmetics; Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (2022): Allergenic risk assessment of cowpea and its cross-reactivity with pea and peanut
