Flavor ingredient regulatory record
3-Phenylpropionic acid
3-Phenylpropionic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2889 (CAS 501-52-0). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, berry, citrus.
- FEMA
- 2889
- CAS
- 501-52-0
- JECFA
- 646
- EU FL
- 08.032
- Formula
- C9H10O2
- EC
- 207-924-5
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 501-52-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzenepropanoic acid, Hydrocinnamic acid, Benzylacetic acid, β-Phenylpropionic acid, Dihydrocinnamic acid, Benzenepropionic acid, 3-Phenylpropanoic acid, 3-Phenyl-n-propionic acid, ω-Phenylpropanoic acid, NSC 9272, β-Phenylpropanoic acid, hydrocinnamic acid.
Can 3-Phenylpropionic acid be labeled natural?
Nature makes 3-Phenylpropionic acid, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 3-Phenylpropionic acid, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 3-Phenylpropionic 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-Phenylpropionic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2889. 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 08.032, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 646, evaluated at the 55th meeting in 2000. 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-Phenylpropionic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 501-52-0, where EPA names it Benzenepropanoic acid.
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, berry, citrus.
Where it is used
3-Phenylpropionic acid is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and sauces, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 3-Phenylpropionic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phenoxyacetic acid | 2872 | 89% | In nature |
| Cinnamic acid | 2288 | 88% | In nature |
| 3-Phenyl-1-propanol | 2885 | 83% | In nature |
| Phenylacetic acid | 2878 | 71% | In nature |
| 3-Phenylpropionaldehyde | 2887 | 67% | In nature |
More acids in this index
2,4-Dimethyl-2-pentenoic acid · 3-Isopropenylpentanedioic acid · 3-Oxooctanoic acid glyceride · 2-Methylhexanoic acid · 2-Methylbutyric acid · cis-5-Octenoic acid
3-Phenylpropionic acid FAQ
Is 3-Phenylpropionic acid FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 3-Phenylpropionic acid as GRAS under FEMA number 2889. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 3-Phenylpropionic acid?
3-Phenylpropionic acid is FEMA 2889, CAS 501-52-0. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is 3-Phenylpropionic acid described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 3-Phenylpropionic acid as sweet, fruity, floral, berry, citrus. It is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and sauces.
What did JECFA conclude about 3-Phenylpropionic acid?
JECFA evaluated 3-Phenylpropionic acid at the 55th meeting in 2000 under JECFA number 646. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is 3-Phenylpropionic acid on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 08.032 is the Union List entry for 3-Phenylpropionic acid, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does 3-Phenylpropionic acid count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for 3-Phenylpropionic acid. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 3-Phenylpropionic acid is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 3-Phenylpropionic acid identical-to-natural.
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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-PHENYLPROPIONIC ACID under CAS 501-52-0 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.