Flavor ingredient regulatory record
3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid
3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3843 (CAS 1113-60-6). Its odor is sour, fruity, tangy, citrus, acidic.
- FEMA
- 3843
- CAS
- 1113-60-6
- JECFA
- 635
- EU FL
- 08.086
- Formula
- C3H4O4
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 18. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 1113-60-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Propanoic acid, 3-hydroxy-2-oxo-, Pyruvic acid, hydroxy-, 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropanoic acid, Hydroxypyruvic acid, β-Hydroxypyruvic acid, 3-Hydroxypyruvic acid, 2-Oxo-3-hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypyruvic acid, 3-hydroxypyruvic acid, 3-hydroxy-2-oxopropanoic acid, hydroxypyruvate, beta-hydroxypyruvate.
Can 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid be labeled natural?
The process decides for 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic 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.
- 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-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3843. 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 08.086, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 635, evaluated at the 53rd meeting in 1999. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sour, fruity, tangy, citrus, acidic.
Where it is used
3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid is used in beverage, sour candies and fruit flavors, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dihydroxyacetone dimer | 4033 | 88% | Not determined |
| 2-Oxobutyric acid | 3723 | 87% | In nature |
| L-Threonine | 4710 | 77% | In nature |
| 3-Methyl-2-oxobutanoic acid | 3869 | 76% | In nature |
| Alanine | 3252 | 72% | In nature |
More acids in this index
2-Methyl-4-pentenoic acid · 3-Hydroxybenzoic acid · Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid · cis-5-Octenoic acid · 4-Decenoic Acid · (E,Z)-4-Methylpent-2-enoic acid
3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid FAQ
Is 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid as GRAS under FEMA number 3843. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid?
3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid is FEMA 3843, CAS 1113-60-6. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid as sour, fruity, tangy, citrus, acidic. It is used in beverage, sour candies and fruit flavors.
What did JECFA conclude about 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid?
JECFA evaluated 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid at the 53rd meeting in 1999 under JECFA number 635. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 08.086 is the Union List entry for 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid count as natural in the US and the EU?
Nature makes 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid, same molecule. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
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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-HYDROXY-2-OXOPROPIONIC ACID under CAS 1113-60-6 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.