Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone
2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone is a ketone in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3473 (CAS 2408-37-9). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, creamy, slightly spicy.
- FEMA
- 3473
- CAS
- 2408-37-9
- JECFA
- 1108
- EU FL
- 07.045
- Formula
- C9H16O
- EC
- 219-309-9
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 9. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 2408-37-9.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Cyclohexanone, 2,2,6-trimethyl-, 2,2,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone, 1,1,3-Trimethyl-2-cyclohexanone, 2,2,6-Trimethylcyclohexan-1-one, NSC 401659, 2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone, 2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexan-1-one, cyclohexanone, 2,2,6-trimethyl-, 1,1,3-trimethyl-2-cyclohexanone, 2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexan-1-one, 2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone [fhfi], 2,6,6trimethylcyclohexanone.
Can 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone be labeled natural?
Nature makes 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone, same molecule. 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
2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3473. 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 07.045, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1108.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 2408-37-9, where EPA names it Cyclohexanone, 2,2,6-trimethyl-.
Active in US commerce
EPA designates this substance active, so no Notice of Activity Form B is required before manufacturing. What active and inactive mean.
EPA publishes no regulatory flags on this listing. What the flags mean.
From the EPA non-confidential TSCA Inventory, July 2026 release. EPA also maintains a confidential portion it does not publish. Search the Inventory by CAS number.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, fruity, floral, creamy, slightly spicy.
Where it is used
2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone is used in beverage, confection, flavoring, desserts and baked goods, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| l-fenchone | 4519 | 89% | In nature |
| d-Fenchone | 2479 | 89% | In nature |
| 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohex-2-en-1,4-dione | 3421 | 76% | In nature |
| Fenchyl alcohol | 2480 | 74% | In nature |
| 3,3,5-Trimethyl cyclohexanol | 3962 | 72% | In nature |
More ketones in this index
3-Hydroxy-4-phenylbutan-2-one · 8-Nonen-2-one · 2-Propionylpyrroline · 2-Methylacetophenone · 4-Methyl-3-penten-2-one · 6-Methyl-5-hepten-2-one propyleneglycol acetal
2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone FAQ
Is 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3473 covers 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone?
The FEMA number for 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone is 3473 and its CAS registry number is 2408-37-9. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone used for?
2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone is described as sweet, fruity, floral, creamy, slightly spicy. It shows up in beverage, confection, flavoring, desserts and baked goods.
What did JECFA conclude about 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone?
JECFA evaluated 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone under JECFA number 1108.
Is 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 07.045 is the Union List entry for 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone natural or artificial?
The process decides for 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone is artificial. 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.
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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 2,2,6-TRIMETHYLCYCLOHEXANONE under CAS 2408-37-9 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.