Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde
2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3128 (CAS 4265-16-1). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, nutty, caramel.
- FEMA
- 3128
- CAS
- 4265-16-1
- JECFA
- 751
- EU FL
- 13.031
- Formula
- C9H6O2
- EC
- 224-248-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 4. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 4265-16-1.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Coumarilaldehyde, 2-Formylbenzofuran, 2-Benzofurancarbaldehyde, Benzo[b]-2-furfural, Benzo[b]furan-2-carboxaldehyde, Benzo[b]furan-2-aldehyde, 1-Benzofuran-2-carbaldehyde, benzo[b]furan-2-carboxaldehyde, 1-benzofuran-2-carbaldehyde, 2-formylbenzofuran, benzofuran-2-aldehyde, benzo(b)-2-furfural.
Can 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde be labeled natural?
2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde 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-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3128. 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 13.031, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 751, evaluated at the 55th meeting in 2000. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 4265-16-1, where EPA names it 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde.
Inactive in US commerce
EPA designates this substance inactive, so a Notice of Activity Form B is required before anyone manufactures or processes it again. Being FEMA GRAS does not change that. 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, nutty, caramel.
Where it is used
2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde is used in beverage, confection, flavoring, bakery and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-(2-Furyl)acrolein | 2494 | 85% | In nature |
| Piperonal | 2911 | 84% | In nature |
| 2-Methyl-3(2-furyl)acrolein | 2704 | 72% | In nature |
| 2-Methyl-4,5-benzo-oxazole | 4398 | 72% | In nature |
| beta-Naphthyl methyl ether | 4704 | 61% | Not determined |
More aldehydes in this index
2-trans-6-cis-Dodecadienal · 6-Methylheptanal · Myristaldehyde · 9-Undecenal · 2-Methylpentanal · (E,E)-2,4-Heptadienal
2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde FAQ
Is 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3128 covers 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde?
The FEMA number for 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde is 3128 and its CAS registry number is 4265-16-1. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde natural or artificial?
Since 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde identical-to-natural.
Is 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde approved in the EU?
2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 13.031 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde?
Yes. JECFA number 751, evaluated at the 55th meeting in 2000. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
What is 2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde used for?
2-Benzofurancarboxaldehyde is described as sweet, fruity, floral, nutty, caramel. It shows up in beverage, confection, flavoring, bakery and desserts.
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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-BENZOFURANCARBOXALDEHYDE under CAS 4265-16-1 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.