Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol
2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol is a phenol in the floral family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4893 (CAS 4912-58-7). Its odor is sweet, floral, woody, herbal.
- FEMA
- 4893
- CAS
- 4912-58-7
- JECFA
- 2271
- Formula
- C9H12O3
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS. Source: FEMA Flavor Ingredient Library.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzenemethanol, 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxy-, Benzyl alcohol, 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxy-, 3-Ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzenemethanol, 3-Ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, Ethyl vanillyl alcohol, p-(Hydroxymethyl)guethol, 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, benzenemethanol, 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxy-, ethyl vanillyl alcohol, 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzenemethanol, 2-ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol #, cs-0299301.
Can 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol be labeled natural?
Nature occurrence: Not yet found in nature (provisional).
Nature occurrence has not been settled for this substance, so the natural or artificial class is not stated here. The FEMA GRAS status does not depend on it.
Regulatory status, with citations
United States
2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4893. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
No EU FL number is on file for 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol. That is not a finding either way. The Union List covers defined flavouring substances, so natural complex materials are handled as flavouring preparations under Parts B to F and never receive a number, and substances used as additives sit under Regulation 1333/2008 instead. Confirm the position before EU or UK use.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2271, evaluated at the 96th meeting in 2023. 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-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 4912-58-7, where EPA names it Benzenemethanol, 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxy-.
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 regulatory flags
| Flag | EPA definition | What it obliges |
|---|---|---|
| PMN | Indicates a commenced PMN substance. | Nothing new. The substance already went through premanufacture review and someone filed a notice of commencement, which is why it is on the Inventory. It is an existing chemical and needs no new premanufacture notice. Read more |
PMN does not establish: The flag records how the substance arrived, not what may be done with it. Check the flags beside it.
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, floral, woody, herbal.
Taste: Slightly sweet, herbal, complex.
Where it is used
2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol is used in beverage, confection, flavoring and cosmetics, typically as a floral note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanillyl alcohol | 3737 | 85% | In nature |
| 4-Ethylguaiacol | 2436 | 84% | In nature |
More phenols in this index
Isoeugenol · 1,2-Dimethoxybenzene · m-Dimethoxybenzene · Indole · 4-Propenylphenol · 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol
2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol FAQ
Is 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol as GRAS under FEMA number 4893. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol?
2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol is FEMA 4893, CAS 4912-58-7. Its flavor category is floral.
How is 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol as sweet, floral, woody, herbal. On the palate it is slightly sweet, herbal, complex. It is used in beverage, confection, flavoring and cosmetics.
What did JECFA conclude about 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol?
JECFA evaluated 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol at the 96th meeting in 2023 under JECFA number 2271. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for 2-Ethoxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)phenol. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2271), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
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Sources and attribution. The FEMA number and GRAS status on this page name a conclusion reached by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States. FDA does not list this substance by FEMA number in its Substances Added to Food inventory. Its identity is attested by EPA TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory, matched on CAS 4912-58-7.
FEMA publishes its own entry for this substance in the FEMA Flavor Library, which is the authoritative record 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.