Abstract
The Editor thanks the authors of the Letter to the Editor entitled “Comments on the Risks from Exposure to Denatonium Benzoate (Bitrex®): Denatured Alcohol Disinfection and Pandemic Times” for their perspectives on alcohol denaturants, particularly denatonium benzoate. The authors correctly state that the article that, in part, prompted their investigation was a review of alcohol denaturants published in 2008 by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert panel 1 and focused primarily on the use of these ingredients in cosmetics. However, cleaning and hand sanitizing with alcohol formulations containing denaturants undoubtedly reached an all-time peak during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to CIR Executive Director, Dr Bart Heldreth, ingredients are typically considered by the CIR Expert Panel for re-review on a 15 year cycle. However, this cycle can be moved up “for cause”. If, upon publication of this Letter to the Editor, the CIR Expert Panel feels that the risks highlighted by García-Valenzuela and Baez-Gaxiola meet “for cause” conditions, the review process for these ingredients may be moved up from the original 2023 time line. This article also raises awareness of alcohol denaturants, in general, as in many instances, benzene is called out as the denaturant of concern in denatured alcohol formulations, but, in fact, quite a number of other chemicals, including denatonium benzoate, are used in this capacity.