Calcium carbonate (E170)
- Food Fine
- Cosmetics Fine
What is Calcium carbonate (E170)?
Calcium carbonate (E170) is the mineral in chalk and limestone, used to add calcium, colour foods white and help dough rise. The calcium it adds is small compared with what you get from the rest of your diet. It's fine at normal amounts.
What does Calcium carbonate do in cosmetics?
In cosmetics, calcium carbonate is a gentle mineral powder used in toothpaste, powders and scrubs. At normal use it isn't a concern for the body. It's fine; dust from loose powders can briefly irritate the eyes or airways.
What is Yasno’s verdict on Calcium carbonate?
Yasno’s verdict on Calcium carbonate: In food: Fine. No meaningful concern at normal amounts. In cosmetics: Fine. No meaningful concern at normal amounts.
Is Calcium carbonate allowed in the EU?
EU status of Calcium carbonate: In food: Permitted as a food additive. In cosmetics: Permitted as a colourant in cosmetics (Annex IV of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009). Conditions and limits come from the regulation cited below. Yasno summarises them and does not replace the legal text.
| Where | EU | US |
|---|---|---|
| Food | Permitted as a food additive | Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS, a US regulatory category) |
| Cosmetics | Permitted as a colourant in cosmetics (Annex IV of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009) | Not recorded |
What else is it called?
- Aeromatt
- Calcium carbonate (1:1)
- Carbonic acid calcium salt (1:1)
Sources
- EU Food Additives Register — POL-FAD-IMPORT-3019, European Commission (DG SANTE), 2011
- EFSA’s 2023 follow-up, EFSA, 2023
- Safety Assessment of Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Sulfate, and Calcium Silicate as Used in Cosmetics, Cosmetic Ingredient Review, 2022
Always check the physical label. Yasno describes evidence and regulatory status. It never says a product is free of an allergen or safe for you, and it is not medical advice.
Yasno reads the whole label from a photo and explains every ingredient like this. It is coming soon to the App Store.