Propylene glycol

Studies in people

• Open question

  Daily intake from drinks³

  Propylene glycol in drinks stays below the safe daily amount, even for children who drink a lot.

Study type not stated

• Concern

  Red blood cell health⁷

  Propylene glycol can build up in the blood and change red blood cells.

Single cases of misuse or overdose

One person or one incident, such as an accidental overdose or a mistake in a kitchen or factory. They are real, but a single case does not show what happens at normal amounts, so the signal does not count them.

• Harm from eating too much²

  A woman who ate large amounts of corn starch mixed with baking soda built up propylene glycol and became very ill.

• Skin rash from food⁵

  A woman's skin rash flared up again after she ate foods containing propylene glycol.

How it’s made and used

• How much we eat⁴

  Propylene glycol was found in most Korean foods tested, with bread adding the most to daily intake.

• Daily intake from food⁶

  Propylene glycol was found in about a third of tested foods, mostly raw noodles, at levels well below the limit.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.