It is the sodium salt of gluconic acid. It’s a colorless powder that is soluble in water.

Our Stewardship Model guides us to select ingredients which have been processed in a manner that supports our philosophy of human and environmental health.

Sodium gluconate is most often made by the aerobic fermentation of a sugar, which can come from corn or beets, to produce gluconic acid. The fermentation product, gluconic acid, is neutralized to create sodium gluconate.

Tom’s of Maine uses multiple different natural preservatives in our personal care products, like benzoic acid, lactic acid and gluconic acid. Other commonly used synthetic preservatives include sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, imidazolidinyl urea, and DMDM hydantoin, among others. Imidazolidinyl urea and DMDM hydantoin are "formaldehyde donors", which act by releasing microbiocidal levels of formaldehyde. While formaldehyde and formaldehyde donors are safe when used at approved regulatory levels, we recognize that consumers have questions. Therefore, Tom's of Maine does not use formaldehyde donors as a preservative system in any of our products.

Sodium gluconate is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA.1

Tom’s of Maine recognizes that no two people are alike, and even with naturally derived ingredients, some individuals may develop an allergic reaction that is unique to them. As with any product, be sure to discontinue use if you experience discomfort or other indications that the product may not be appropriate for your individual body chemistry.

1 21 CFR 182.6757 (as a sequestrant)