Fragrance allergens / Vanillin
Vanillin
Vanillin must be declared in the EU and Northern Ireland, but it is NOT on the Great Britain list: GB retains the older, shorter list and has not adopted Reg (EU) 2023/1545.
Identity
| Name in the ingredient list | Vanillin |
|---|---|
| CAS / EC number | 121-33-5 / EC 204-465-2 |
| EU Annex III entry | 346 |
It was ADDED to the EU list by Reg (EU) 2023/1545, so products labelled for the familiar 26 (24 still in force by 2023) may need relabelling.
When it must appear on the label
Vanillin may be present as a constituent of essential oils or fragrance compounds. It must be named individually in the ingredient list when its total concentration in the finished product exceeds 0.001% in leave-on products (lotions, balms) or 0.01% in rinse-off products (soap, shower gel), summed across every fragrance source in the recipe. Below the threshold it stays within the collective term "Parfum".
United States: no individual fragrance-allergen labelling is in force yet (MoCRA rulemaking pending); fragrance is declared collectively as "Fragrance".
Common questions
Do I have to list Vanillin on my label?
Vanillin must be declared in the EU and Northern Ireland, but it is NOT on the Great Britain list: GB retains the older, shorter list and has not adopted Reg (EU) 2023/1545. It must be named individually once it exceeds 0.001% of a leave-on product or 0.01% of a rinse-off product, summed across every fragrance source in the recipe. Below that it stays inside the collective term "Parfum".
What is the CAS number for Vanillin?
Vanillin is listed under CAS 121-33-5 (EC 204-465-2), Annex III entry 346.
Tell me if Vanillin changes
Vanillin is on the EU list but not the Great Britain one, and that gap is exactly the sort of thing that closes without warning. If GB adopts it, or the EU entry changes, we update the rule tables and email you.
No spam, no account. One email when a rule behind your labels changes. How we handle your address is in the privacy policy.
Sources
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 (OJ L 188, 27.7.2023), as corrected by the corrigendum of 11.11.2025, Annex (EUR-Lex)
Transcribed from the official texts linked above and checked against them; a labelling reference, not safety advice. You remain responsible for your product's labelling.
Rule tables last checked 25 September 2026.