Baby Safety / Compounds / Coumarin

Is Coumarin safe for babies and kids?

High risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Coumarin than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

What is coumarin?

The IUPAC name is chromen-2-one.

Also known as: chromen-2-one, 2H-Chromen-2-one, 2H-1-Benzopyran-2-one, cumarin.

IUPAC name
chromen-2-one
CAS number
91-64-5
Molecular formula
C9H6O2
Molecular weight
146.14 g/mol
SMILES
C1=CC=C2C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O2
PubChem CID
323

Risk for babies

High risk

Infants are more vulnerable to Coumarin than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

Neonates and infants up to 12 months have incomplete blood-brain barrier development, immature Phase I/II metabolic enzymes (particularly CYP3A4, UGT1A1), and higher gastrointestinal permeability. Equivalent doses produce higher internal concentrations and longer residence times.

What to do: Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Coumarin.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EDC Assessment—Suspected endocrine disruptor

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter coumarin

  • Personal Care — perfume, lotion, lip balm, sunscreen
  • Food — cinnamon, cassia, vanilla flavoring, chocolate
  • Consumer Products — candles, air freshener, tobacco products
  • Fragrance — perfume, cologne, scented personal care products, household fragrance products, candles
    Identified in Fragrance Ingredient Safety Priority Research database (2,325 ingredients)

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Coumarin:

  • Tonka bean absolute
    Trade-offs: Alternative fragrance ingredient; individual safety profile should be assessed per IFRA standards; sensitization potential varies by compound; patch testing recommended for sensitive individuals.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • Vanillin blends
    Trade-offs: Alternative fragrance ingredient; individual safety profile should be assessed per IFRA standards; sensitization potential varies by compound; patch testing recommended for sensitive individuals.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is coumarin safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to Coumarin than children or adults due to immature hepatic/renal clearance, higher intake-to-body-weight ratio, rapid organ development, and increased gastrointestinal absorption.

What products contain coumarin?

Coumarin appears in: perfume (Personal care); lotion (Personal care); cinnamon (Food); cassia (Food); candles (Consumer products).

What should I do if my child is exposed to coumarin?

Minimize infant exposure through source control. For breastfeeding mothers: reduce maternal exposure. For formula-fed infants: use certified low-migration bottles and verified water sources. Consult pediatrician regarding any concerns.

See Coumarin in the baby app

Look up products containing coumarin, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. PubChem Compound Database (2026) — database

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →