Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate
2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4401 (CAS 90397-36-7). Its odor is sweet, fruity, tropical, pear, apple.
- FEMA
- 4401
- CAS
- 90397-36-7
- JECFA
- 2072
- Formula
- C11H22O2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 23. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 90397-36-7.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: pentanoic acid, 2-methyl-, 1-methylbutyl ester, 2-pentyl 2-methylpentanoate [fhfi], (+-)-2-pentyl 2-methylpentanoate, 2-pentyl 2-methylpentanoate, (+-)-, (+/-)-2-pentyl 2-methylpentanoate, 2-pentyl 2-methylpentanoate, (+/-)-, pentan-2-yl 2-methylpentanoate.
Can 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate be labeled natural?
Nature makes 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate 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-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4401. 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-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate. 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 2072, evaluated at the 73rd meeting in 2010. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, fruity, tropical, pear, apple.
Where it is used
2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, ice cream and baked goods, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Octyl butyrate | 4402 | 90% | Not determined |
| Isoamyl 2-methylbutyrate | 3505 | 77% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Ethyl alpha-acetylcinnamate · Cinnamyl benzoate · Propyl hexanoate · 6-Hydroxydihydrotheaspirane · Ethyl benzoylacetate · Butyl isobutyrate
2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate FAQ
Is 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate as GRAS under FEMA number 4401. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate?
2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate is FEMA 4401, CAS 90397-36-7. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate as sweet, fruity, tropical, pear, apple. It is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, ice cream and baked goods.
What did JECFA conclude about 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate?
JECFA evaluated 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate at the 73rd meeting in 2010 under JECFA number 2072. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2072), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Does 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 2-Pentyl 2-methylpentanoate identical-to-natural.
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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-PENTYL 2-METHYLPENTANOATE under CAS 90397-36-7 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.