Flavor ingredient regulatory record
3-Methylhexanal
3-Methylhexanal is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4261 (CAS 19269-28-4). Its odor is green, fruity, apple, grassy, fresh.
- FEMA
- 4261
- CAS
- 19269-28-4
- JECFA
- 2173
- EU FL
- 05.219
- Formula
- C7H14O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 23. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 19269-28-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Hexanal, 3-methyl-, (±)-3-Methylhexanal, hexanal, 3-methyl-, 3-methylhexanal [fhfi], (+-)-3-methylhexanal, 3-methyl-hexanal, 3-methyl hexanal, 3-methylhexanal, analytical standard, en300-179331.
Can 3-Methylhexanal 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-Methylhexanal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4261. 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 05.219, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2173, evaluated at the 76th meeting in 2012. 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: Green, fruity, apple, grassy, fresh.
Where it is used
3-Methylhexanal is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 3-Methylhexanal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hexanal | 2557 | 95% | In nature |
| 3-Hexenal | 3923 | 92% | In nature |
| cis-3-Hexenal | 2561 | 92% | In nature |
| cis-4-Hexenal | 3496 | 91% | In nature |
| trans-4-Hexenal | 4046 | 91% | In nature |
More aldehydes in this index
Pent-2-enal · 1-Ethyl-2-pyrrolecarboxaldehyde · p-Methoxy-alpha-methyl-cinnamaldehyde · 2,4-Pentadienal · Nona-2,4,6-trienal · 2,8-Dithianon-4-ene-4-carboxaldehyde
3-Methylhexanal FAQ
Does 3-Methylhexanal have FEMA GRAS status?
3-Methylhexanal holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4261. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 3-Methylhexanal by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 3-Methylhexanal as FEMA 4261 or CAS 19269-28-4; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does 3-Methylhexanal smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 3-Methylhexanal is green, fruity, apple, grassy, fresh. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and savory dishes.
What did JECFA conclude about 3-Methylhexanal?
JECFA evaluated 3-Methylhexanal at the 76th meeting in 2012 under JECFA number 2173. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Can 3-Methylhexanal be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 05.219 is the Union List entry for 3-Methylhexanal, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
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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-METHYLHEXANAL under CAS 19269-28-4 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.