Flavor ingredient regulatory record
3-Hexenyl phenylacetate
3-Hexenyl phenylacetate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3633 (CAS 42436-07-7). Its odor is sweet, fruity, green, floral, apple.
- FEMA
- 3633
- CAS
- 42436-07-7
- JECFA
- 1016
- EU FL
- 09.805
- Formula
- C14H18O2
- EC
- 255-826-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 12. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 42436-07-7.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzeneacetic acid, (3Z)-3-hexen-1-yl ester, Benzeneacetic acid, 3-hexenyl ester, (Z)-, Benzeneacetic acid, (3Z)-3-hexenyl ester, cis-3-Hexenyl phenylacetate, Z-3-Hexenyl phenylacetate, cis-3-hexenyl phenylacetate, z-3-hexenyl phenylacetate, 3-hexenyl alpha-toluate, 3-hexenyl phenylacetate, cis-, benzeneacetic acid, (3z)-3-hexenyl ester, benzeneacetic acid, 3-hexenyl ester, (z)-, (z)-hex-3-enyl phenylacetate.
Can 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate be labeled natural?
Nature makes 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate 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-Hexenyl phenylacetate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3633. 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 09.805, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1016, evaluated at the 59th meeting in 2002. 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-Hexenyl phenylacetate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 42436-07-7, where EPA names it Benzeneacetic acid, (3Z)-3-hexen-1-yl ester.
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, green, floral, apple.
Where it is used
3-Hexenyl phenylacetate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and candies, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| cis-3-Hexenyl benzoate | 3688 | 89% | In nature |
| Phenethyl octanoate | 3222 | 86% | In nature |
| Benzyl hexanoate | 4026 | 82% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Ethylene brassylate · Methyl myristate · trans-2-Octen-1-yl butanoate · Ethyl 3-oxohexanoate · p-Mentha-1,8-dien-7-yl acetate · alpha-Amylcinnamyl formate
3-Hexenyl phenylacetate FAQ
Is 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate as GRAS under FEMA number 3633. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate?
3-Hexenyl phenylacetate is FEMA 3633, CAS 42436-07-7. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate as sweet, fruity, green, floral, apple. It is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and candies.
What did JECFA conclude about 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate?
JECFA evaluated 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate at the 59th meeting in 2002 under JECFA number 1016. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 09.805 is the Union List entry for 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 3-Hexenyl phenylacetate identical-to-natural.
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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-HEXENYL PHENYLACETATE under CAS 42436-07-7 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number and its 21 CFR citations. 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.