Flavor ingredient regulatory record
3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid
3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3142 (CAS 502-47-6). Its odor is fruity, floral, citrus, green, sweet.
- FEMA
- 3142
- CAS
- 502-47-6
- JECFA
- 1221
- EU FL
- 08.036
- Formula
- C10H18O2
- EC
- 207-939-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 4. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 502-47-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 6-Octenoic acid, 3,7-dimethyl-, Citronellic acid, Rhodinic acid, citronellic acid, 3,7-dimethyloct-6-enoic acid, rhodinolic acid, rhodinic acid, 6-octenoic acid, 3,7-dimethyl-, citronellate, callitrol, citronellic acid, 98%, 4-02-00-01610 (beilstein handbook reference).
Can 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid be labeled natural?
Since 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid 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
3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3142. 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 08.036, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
Purity. At least 90%; secondary components 5-8% citronellal, citronellyl, neryl, and geranyl acetate esters and other naturally occurring terpenes
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1221, evaluated at the 61st meeting in 2003. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 502-47-6, where EPA names it 6-Octenoic acid, 3,7-dimethyl-.
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: Fruity, floral, citrus, green, sweet.
Where it is used
3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, savory dishes and sauces, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| (E,Z)-Geranic acid | 4121 | 95% | In nature |
| (-)-3,7-Dimethyl-6-octen-1-ol | 2309 | 86% | In nature |
| Geraniol | 2507 | 85% | In nature |
| Nerol | 2770 | 85% | In nature |
| Citronellal | 2307 | 72% | In nature |
More acids in this index
3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid · 4-Amino-5-(3-(isopropylamino)-2,2-dimethyl-3-oxopropoxy)-2-methylquinoline-3-carboxylic acid · 4-Decenoic Acid · Phenylacetic acid · 3-Hexenoic acid · 5-Oxooctanoic acid
3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid FAQ
Does 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid have FEMA GRAS status?
3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3142. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid as FEMA 3142 or CAS 502-47-6; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Can 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid be labeled a natural flavor?
3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid is artificial. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material identical-to-natural.
Can 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid be used in the EU and UK?
3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.036 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid?
Yes. JECFA number 1221, evaluated at the 61st meeting in 2003. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What does 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid is fruity, floral, citrus, green, sweet. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors, savory dishes and sauces.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
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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 3,7-DIMETHYL-6-OCTENOIC ACID under CAS 502-47-6 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.