Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2-Phenoxyethyl propionate
2-Phenoxyethyl propionate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4618 (CAS 23495-12-7). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, estery, pear.
- FEMA
- 4618
- CAS
- 23495-12-7
- Formula
- C11H14O3
- EC
- 245-692-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 23495-12-7.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Ethanol, 2-phenoxy-, 1-propanoate, Ethanol, 2-phenoxy-, propionate, Ethanol, 2-phenoxy-, propanoate, Phenoxyethyl propionate, Ethylene glycol monophenyl ether propionate, NSC 6707, 2-Phenoxyethyl propanoate, phenoxyethyl propionate, ethanol, 2-phenoxy-, propanoate, ethanol, 2-phenoxy-, propionate, ethylene glycol monophenyl ether propionate, 2-phenoxyethyl propanoate.
Can 2-Phenoxyethyl propionate 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-Phenoxyethyl propionate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4618. 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-Phenoxyethyl propionate. 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)
2-Phenoxyethyl propionate has not been evaluated by JECFA as a flavouring agent, or no evaluation is on file.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list. Listed on the EPA TSCA inventory.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. 2-Phenoxyethyl propionate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 23495-12-7, where EPA names it Ethanol, 2-phenoxy-, 1-propanoate.
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, estery, pear.
Where it is used
2-Phenoxyethyl propionate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2-Phenoxyethyl propionate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phenethyl propionate | 2867 | 87% | In nature |
More esters in this index
(Z)-3-Hexenyl 2-oxopropionate · Bornyl isovalerate · (+/-)-Ethyl 3-mercapto-2-methylbutanoate · Ethyl formate · alpha-Amylcinnamyl formate · Carvyl propionate
2-Phenoxyethyl propionate FAQ
Does 2-Phenoxyethyl propionate have FEMA GRAS status?
2-Phenoxyethyl propionate holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4618. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 2-Phenoxyethyl propionate by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 2-Phenoxyethyl propionate as FEMA 4618 or CAS 23495-12-7; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
What does 2-Phenoxyethyl propionate smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 2-Phenoxyethyl propionate is sweet, fruity, floral, estery, pear. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and desserts.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
Check 2-Phenoxyethyl propionate in a formula
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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-PHENOXYETHYL PROPIONATE under CAS 23495-12-7 and carries its FEMA 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.