Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Oil is a pale yellow oil obtained from peanuts. Additional hydrogen atoms are added to Peanut Oil to make Hydrogenated Peanut Oil.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes Peanut Oil on its list of Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) indirect food additives. It can be used in cotton and cotton fabrics used in dry food packaging. The polyglycerol esters of Peanut Oil are also approved as multipurpose direct food additives. The safety of Peanut-derived ingredients has been assessed by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel evaluated the scientific data and concluded that Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Oil, Hydrogenated Peanut Oil, Peanut Acid and Peanut Glycerides were safe for use in cosmetic formulations. The available data were insufficient to determine the safety of Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Flour as an ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products.
CIR Safety Review: The CIR Expert Panel noted that when applied to the skin, Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Oil may enhance the absorption of other compounds. At microscopic examination, hepatic changes were noted after exposure to diets containing 15% edible Peanut Oil for 28 days, although no control group was maintained and the findings were also noted after exposure to fresh corn oil. United States Pharmacopoeia (USP)-grade Peanut Oil was considered relatively nonirritating when injected. Technical-grade Peanut Oil was moderately irritating in some studies and mildly irritating following dermal exposure.
This same oil produced reactions in 10% or less of 50 human. Peanut Oil was not an ocular irritant. Peanut Oil, either "laboratory expressed" or extracted using a food-grade solvent, was not carcinogenic. Peanuts are the food most likely to produce allergic and anaphylactic reactions. The major allergen is a protein that does not partition into Peanut Oil, Hydrogenated Peanut Oil, Peanut Acid, and Peanut Glycerides. Aflatoxins can be produced in stored agricultural crops such as peanuts, but do not partition into the oils, acids, or glycerides.
The CIR Expert Panel cautioned manufacturers to control levels of aflatoxins and protein. Formulators were cautioned that the oils, acids, or glycerides may enhance penetration and can affect the use of other ingredients whose safety assessment was based on their lack of absorption. The available studies on Peanut Oil supported the conclusion that Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Oil, Hydrogenated Peanut Oil, Peanut Acid, and Peanut Glycerides were safe for use in cosmetic formulations. Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Flour, however, was considered sufficiently different from the above ingredients such that its safety can not be supported by studies using the oil.
The CIR Expert Panel requested the following additional information on Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Flour: concentration of use, protein and aflatoxin levels, contact urticaria and dermal sensitization at use concentrations.