Flavor ingredient regulatory record
(+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal
(+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4117 (CAS 58475-04-0). Its odor is sweet, fruity, apple, nutty, creamy.
- FEMA
- 4117
- CAS
- 58475-04-0
- JECFA
- 1819
- EU FL
- 05.223
- Formula
- C10H20O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 58475-04-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Octanal, 4-ethyl-, 4-Ethyloctanal, 4-ethyloctanal, octanal, 4-ethyl-, (+-)-4-ethyloctanal, 4-ethyloctanal, (+/-)-, (+/-)-4-ethyl octanal, (+/-)-4-ethyloctanal [fifh], (+/-)-4-ethyloctanal [fhfi].
Can (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal 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
(+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4117. 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 05.223, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1819, evaluated at the 69th meeting in 2008. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 58475-04-0, where EPA names it Octanal, 4-ethyl-.
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 regulatory flags
| Flag | EPA definition | What it obliges |
|---|---|---|
| PMN | Indicates a commenced PMN substance. | Nothing new. The substance already went through premanufacture review and someone filed a notice of commencement, which is why it is on the Inventory. It is an existing chemical and needs no new premanufacture notice. Read more |
PMN does not establish: The flag records how the substance arrived, not what may be done with it. Check the flags beside it.
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, apple, nutty, creamy.
Where it is used
(+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal is used in beverage, confection, flavoring and dairy, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Octanal | 2797 | 93% | In nature |
| Nonanal | 2782 | 93% | In nature |
| 6-Methyloctanal | 4433 | 92% | Not determined |
| Decanal | 2362 | 92% | In nature |
| cis-8-Decenal | 4945 | 91% | Not determined |
More aldehydes in this index
3-(2-Furyl)acrolein · Nonanal · Octadec-9-enal · Isobutanal propyleneglycol acetal · 4-Decenal · 6-Methyloctanal
(+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal FAQ
Does (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal have FEMA GRAS status?
(+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4117. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal as FEMA 4117 or CAS 58475-04-0; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal is sweet, fruity, apple, nutty, creamy. Typical uses are beverage, confection, flavoring and dairy.
What did JECFA conclude about (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal?
JECFA evaluated (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal at the 69th meeting in 2008 under JECFA number 1819. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Can (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 05.223 is the Union List entry for (+/-)-4-Ethyloctanal, 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 (+/-)-4-ETHYLOCTANAL under CAS 58475-04-0 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.