Flavor ingredient regulatory record
12-Methyltridecanal
12-Methyltridecanal is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4005 (CAS 75853-49-5). Its odor is sweet, fruity, apple, floral, green.
- FEMA
- 4005
- CAS
- 75853-49-5
- JECFA
- 1229
- EU FL
- 05.169
- Formula
- C14H28O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 20. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 75853-49-5.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Tridecanal, 12-methyl-, 12-mt aldehyde, tridecanal, 12-methyl-, isotetradecan-1-al, isotetradecanal, 12-methyl-tridecanal, 12-methyltridecanal, tech. grade, 12-methyltridecanal [fhfi], db-238207, m3275.
Can 12-Methyltridecanal be labeled natural?
Nature makes 12-Methyltridecanal, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 12-Methyltridecanal, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 12-Methyltridecanal identical-to-natural.
- United States
- Natural or artificial, by process
- European Union and UK
- Natural only from natural material
- Mercosur and Mexico
- Natural or identical-to-natural
How each market defines the classes: natural vs artificial flavor under 21 CFR 101.22.
Regulatory status, with citations
United States
12-Methyltridecanal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4005. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 05.169, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1229, evaluated at the 61st meeting in 2003. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, fruity, apple, floral, green.
Where it is used
12-Methyltridecanal is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and ice cream, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 12-Methyltridecanal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tridecanal | 4335 | 95% | In nature |
| Myristaldehyde | 2763 | 95% | In nature |
| 2-Pentadecanone | 3724 | 94% | In nature |
| Lauric aldehyde | 2615 | 94% | In nature |
| (E)-Tetradec-2-enal | 4209 | 91% | In nature |
More aldehydes in this index
p-Isopropylphenylacetaldehyde · Perillaldehyde propyleneglycol acetal · 2-(p-Tolyl)propionaldehyde · Hept-2(trans)-enal · Pyruvaldehyde · 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal
12-Methyltridecanal FAQ
Is 12-Methyltridecanal FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 12-Methyltridecanal as GRAS under FEMA number 4005. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 12-Methyltridecanal?
12-Methyltridecanal is FEMA 4005, CAS 75853-49-5. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is 12-Methyltridecanal described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 12-Methyltridecanal as sweet, fruity, apple, floral, green. It is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and ice cream.
What did JECFA conclude about 12-Methyltridecanal?
JECFA evaluated 12-Methyltridecanal at the 61st meeting in 2003 under JECFA number 1229. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is 12-Methyltridecanal on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 05.169 is the Union List entry for 12-Methyltridecanal, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does 12-Methyltridecanal count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for 12-Methyltridecanal. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 12-Methyltridecanal is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 12-Methyltridecanal identical-to-natural.
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Sources and attribution. The identity and regulatory facts on this page are taken from the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory, a US government record, which lists this substance as 12-METHYLTRIDECANAL under CAS 75853-49-5 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number. The inventory is searchable at FDA. FDA records its technical effect as flavoring agent or adjuvant.
A FEMA GRAS conclusion is reached by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States, and the FEMA number names that conclusion. FEMA publishes its own entry for this substance in the FEMA Flavor Library, which is the authoritative record of what the Panel decided and is worth reading alongside this page.
Ambrose Compliance is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by FEMA. FEMA and FEMA GRAS are used here as identifiers for a published regulatory determination, not as marks of any relationship between FEMA and Ambrose.
About this page. Facts come from the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory, the Code of Federal Regulations, the EPA TSCA Inventory, the EU Union List, JECFA and the Ambrose database, with FEMA's published determination cited where it applies; parts of the text are written by Ambrose AI, which can make mistakes. Check the cited source before relying on anything here. This is not regulatory or legal advice.