Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2,3-Undecadione
2,3-Undecadione is a ketone in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3090 (CAS 7493-59-6). Its odor is sweet, creamy, fruity, buttery.
- FEMA
- 3090
- CAS
- 7493-59-6
- JECFA
- 417
- EU FL
- 07.021
- Formula
- C11H20O2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 7493-59-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2,3-Undecanedione, acetyl nonyryl, 2,3-undecanedione, acetyl nonanoyl, acetyl pelargonyl, 2,3-undecadione [fhfi], undecane-2,3-dione, methylpelargonylketon, db-260328.
Can 2,3-Undecadione be labeled natural?
Since 2,3-Undecadione is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when 2,3-Undecadione is synthesized. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
- 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
2,3-Undecadione is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3090. 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 07.021, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 417, evaluated at the 49th meeting in 1997. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, creamy, fruity, buttery.
Where it is used
2,3-Undecadione is used in beverage, confection, dairy, bakery and flavoring, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2,3-Undecadione by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Decanone | 3966 | 92% | In nature |
| Octyl acetate | 2806 | 82% | In nature |
| Ethyl decanoate | 2432 | 77% | In nature |
More ketones in this index
Hydroxyacetone · 2-Heptanone · 3-Hexanone · 3,4-Dimethyl-1,2-cyclo-pentanedione · beta-Ionone epoxide · Epoxy oxophorone
2,3-Undecadione FAQ
Is 2,3-Undecadione FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 2,3-Undecadione as GRAS under FEMA number 3090. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 2,3-Undecadione?
2,3-Undecadione is FEMA 3090, CAS 7493-59-6. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Does 2,3-Undecadione count as natural in the US and the EU?
2,3-Undecadione occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: 2,3-Undecadione won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized 2,3-Undecadione is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 2,3-Undecadione identical-to-natural.
Is 2,3-Undecadione on the EU Union List?
2,3-Undecadione is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 07.021 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated 2,3-Undecadione?
Yes. JECFA number 417, evaluated at the 49th meeting in 1997. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
How is 2,3-Undecadione described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 2,3-Undecadione as sweet, creamy, fruity, buttery. It is used in beverage, confection, dairy, bakery and flavoring.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
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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 2,3-UNDECADIONE under CAS 7493-59-6 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number and its 21 CFR citations. 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.