Flavor ingredient regulatory record
3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal
3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4599 (CAS 1205-17-0). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, woody, herbal.
- FEMA
- 4599
- CAS
- 1205-17-0
- JECFA
- 2212
- Formula
- C11H12O3
- EC
- 214-881-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 1205-17-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 1,3-Benzodioxole-5-propanal, α-methyl-, Hydrocinnamaldehyde, α-methyl-3,4-(methylenedioxy)-, α-Methyl-1,3-benzodioxole-5-propanal, Helional, 2-Methyl-3-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propionaldehyde, Tropional, NSC 22282, 2-Methyl-3-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propanal, Helipropanal, α-Methyl-3,4-(methylenedioxy)hydrocinnamaldehyde, Heliogan, Heliobouquet.
Can 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal 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
3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4599. 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 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal. 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 2212, evaluated at the 82nd meeting in 2016. 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. 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 1205-17-0, where EPA names it 1,3-Benzodioxole-5-propanal, .alpha.-methyl-.
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, woody, herbal.
Where it is used
3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal is used in beverage, confection, flavoring agents and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Methyl-3-(p-tolyl)propionaldehyde | 2748 | 75% | Not determined |
| Piperonal propyleneglycol acetal | 4622 | 74% | Not determined |
| Piperonyl acetate | 2912 | 73% | In nature |
| 3-n-Butylphthalide | 3334 | 65% | In nature |
| 2-Phenyl-3-carbethoxyfuran | 3468 | 58% | In nature |
More aldehydes in this index
3-(Methylthio)-decanal · cis-4-Heptenal · Nonanal · Oct-2-enal · (E)-4-Undecenal · 2-trans,6-trans Nonadienal
3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal FAQ
Is 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal as GRAS under FEMA number 4599. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal?
3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal is FEMA 4599, CAS 1205-17-0. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal as sweet, fruity, floral, woody, herbal. It is used in beverage, confection, flavoring agents and desserts.
What did JECFA conclude about 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal?
JECFA evaluated 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal at the 82nd meeting in 2016 under JECFA number 2212. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2212), 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 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 3-(3,4-METHYLENEDIOXYPHENYL)-2-METHYLPROPANAL under CAS 1205-17-0 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.