Flavor ingredient regulatory record

2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline

2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline is a pyrazine in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4249 (CAS 85213-22-5). Its odor is nutty, popcorn, toasted, sweet.

FEMA
4249
CAS
85213-22-5
JECFA
1604
EU FL
14.080
Formula
C6H9NO

GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 99583-29-6.

Structure

2D structure of 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline
Structure of 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline, C6H9NO. Drawn from the canonical SMILES.

Identity

IUPAC name 1-(3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-5-yl)ethanone
CAS number 85213-22-5
FEMA number 4249
Molecular formula C6H9NO
Molecular weight 111.14 g/mol
SMILES CC(=O)C1=NCCC1
InChIKey DQBQWWSFRPLIAX-UHFFFAOYSA-N
PubChem CID 522834
Chemical class Pyrazine
Boiling point 183 °C
Flash point 76 °C

Also known as: Ethanone, 1-(3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-5-yl)-, 1-(3,4-Dihydro-2H-pyrrol-5-yl)ethanone, 2-Acetyl-4,5-dihydro-3H-pyrrole, 1-(4,5-Dihydro-3H-pyrrol-2-yl)ethanone, 1-(3,4-dihydro-2h-pyrrol-5-yl)ethanone, ethanone, 1-(3,4-dihydro-2h-pyrrol-5-yl)-, 1-(3,4-dihydro-2h-pyrrol-5-yl)ethan-1-one, 2-acetyl-4,5-dihydro-3h-pyrrole, 1-pyrroline, 2-acetyl, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline-13c2 85% (10% w/w in dcm), 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, ~10% w/w in toluene, 5-acetyl-3,4-dihydro-2h-pyrrole.

Can 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline be labeled natural?

Nature makes 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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

2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4249. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.

21 CFR 172.515

European Union and United Kingdom

Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 14.080, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.

JECFA (WHO / FAO)

JECFA number 1604, evaluated at the 69th meeting in 2008. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.

JECFA monograph

Other US flags

Not on the California Proposition 65 list.

Odor and taste

Odor: Nutty, popcorn, toasted, sweet.

Where it is used

2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline is used in snack foods, baked goods, confectionery and beverages, typically as a fruity note.

Structurally similar flavor ingredients

Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.

MaterialFEMASimilarityOccurrence
2-Acetyl-2-thiazoline381792%In nature
2,4-Dimethyl-3-oxazoline442986%In nature
2-Propionylpyrroline406385%In nature
2,4,5-Trimethyl-delta-3-oxazoline352580%In nature
2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one410174%Not determined

More pyrazines in this index

2-Ethoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine · 2-Ethoxy-3-methylpyrazine · 2-Methoxy-3-(1-methylpropyl)pyrazine · 2-Isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine · 2-Ethoxy-3-ethylpyrazine · 1-Pyrroline

2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline FAQ

Does 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline have FEMA GRAS status?

2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4249. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.

How do I cite 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline by FEMA or CAS number?

Cite 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline as FEMA 4249 or CAS 85213-22-5; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.

What does 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline smell and taste like, and where is it used?

The odor of 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline is nutty, popcorn, toasted, sweet. Typical uses are snack foods, baked goods, confectionery and beverages.

What did JECFA conclude about 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline?

JECFA evaluated 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline at the 69th meeting in 2008 under JECFA number 1604. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.

Can 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline be used in the EU and UK?

Yes. FL 14.080 is the Union List entry for 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.

Can 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline be labeled a natural flavor?

The process decides for 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline is artificial. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material identical-to-natural.

Ingredient lookup

Check an ingredient

Start typing to search the ingredient corpus.

Or browse every ingredient page, A to Z.

Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification

Check 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline in a formula

Screened against FEMA GRAS, 21 CFR and EU rules as you build. Free to start.

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-ACETYL-1-PYRROLINE under CAS 99583-29-6 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.