Baby Safety / Compounds / Crotonaldehyde

Is Crotonaldehyde safe for babies and kids?

Moderate risk for kids

Infants are more vulnerable to Crotonaldehyde 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 crotonaldehyde?

The IUPAC name is (E)-but-2-enal.

Also known as: (E)-but-2-enal, 2-Butenal, Crotonal, Crotylaldehyde.

IUPAC name
(E)-but-2-enal
CAS number
4170-30-3
Molecular formula
C4H6O
Molecular weight
70.09 g/mol
SMILES
CC=CC=O
PubChem CID
447466

Risk for babies

Moderate risk

Infants are more vulnerable to Crotonaldehyde 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

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Crotonaldehyde, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

4 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Crotonaldehyde. The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
IARC1995Group 3 — not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans (crotonaldehyde — IARC Monographs Volume 63, 1995; forestomach tumors in rodents at high doses; inadequate human evidence; primarily classified as a combustion-derived lung irritant and genotoxic aldehyde)
EPA CTX / IARC—Group 2B - Possibly carcinogenic to humans
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 9 positive / 5 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: positive (Ames: positive, 9 positive / 5 negative reports)

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 crotonaldehyde

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

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

  • Fragrance-free formulations
    Trade-offs: Consumer preference for scented products
    Relative cost: Lower (ingredient elimination)
  • Essential oil-based fragrances (with disclosure)
    Trade-offs: Natural does not mean safe — many essential oils are skin sensitizers
    Relative cost: 2-5× conventional

Frequently asked questions

Is crotonaldehyde safe for kids?

Infants are more vulnerable to Crotonaldehyde 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 crotonaldehyde?

Crotonaldehyde appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

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

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.

Why do regulators disagree about crotonaldehyde?

Crotonaldehyde has been classified by 4 agencies including IARC, EPA CTX / IARC, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, with differing conclusions. 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. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Crotonaldehyde in the baby app

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

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Sources (1)
  1. IARC Monographs Volume 63 1995 Crotonaldehyde Group 3; 1N2-CrPdG Propanodeoxyguanosine DNA Adducts; Alpha-Beta-Unsaturated Aldehyde Michael Addition; Tobacco Smoke Combustion Byproduct Acrolein Companion; ACGIH TLV-C 0.3 ppm Lachrymatory; OSHA PEL NIOSH REL 2 ppm; EU CLP Muta 3 H341 Acute Tox 3; Aldehyde Dehydrogenase GSH Conjugation Detoxification; Sorbic Acid Synthesis Precursor (1995) — regulatory

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 →