Flavor ingredient regulatory record
4-Ethyloctanoic acid
4-Ethyloctanoic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3800 (CAS 16493-80-4). Its odor is fruity, sweet, waxy, floral.
- FEMA
- 3800
- CAS
- 16493-80-4
- JECFA
- 1218
- EU FL
- 08.079
- Formula
- C10H20O2
- EC
- 240-560-5
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 17. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 16493-80-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Octanoic acid, 4-ethyl-, octanoic acid, 4-ethyl-, 4-ethylcaprylic acid, 4-ethyloctanoicacid, 4-ethylcaprylicacid, 4-ethyl ocatanoic acid, 4-ethyloctanoic acid [fhfi], s6039, 4-ethyloctanoic acid, >=98%, fg, (+/-)-4-ethyloctanoic acid, msk15511-100a, cs-w016023.
Can 4-Ethyloctanoic acid be labeled natural?
4-Ethyloctanoic acid occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: 4-Ethyloctanoic acid won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized 4-Ethyloctanoic acid is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 4-Ethyloctanoic 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
4-Ethyloctanoic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3800. 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 08.079, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1218, evaluated at the 61st meeting in 2003. 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-Ethyloctanoic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 16493-80-4, where EPA names it Octanoic acid, 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 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: Fruity, sweet, waxy, floral.
Taste: Sour, fruity, slightly acidic.
Where it is used
4-Ethyloctanoic acid 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-Ethyloctanoic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Methylnonanoic acid | 3574 | 95% | In nature |
| 4-Methyloctanoic acid | 3575 | 94% | In nature |
| Octanoic acid | 2799 | 92% | In nature |
| Nonanoic acid | 2784 | 91% | In nature |
| Decanoic acid | 2364 | 90% | In nature |
More acids in this index
2-Oxo-3-phenylpropionic acid sodium salt · Mixture of Ricinoleic acid, Linoleic acid, and Oleic acid · 4-Methylpentanoic acid · Oleic acid · 5&6-Decenoic acid · 3-Phenylpropionic acid
4-Ethyloctanoic acid FAQ
Is 4-Ethyloctanoic acid on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3800 covers 4-Ethyloctanoic acid. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for 4-Ethyloctanoic acid?
The FEMA number for 4-Ethyloctanoic acid is 3800 and its CAS registry number is 16493-80-4. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is 4-Ethyloctanoic acid natural or artificial?
Since 4-Ethyloctanoic acid is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when 4-Ethyloctanoic acid is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 4-Ethyloctanoic acid identical-to-natural.
Is 4-Ethyloctanoic acid approved in the EU?
4-Ethyloctanoic acid is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.079 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated 4-Ethyloctanoic acid?
Yes. JECFA number 1218, evaluated at the 61st meeting in 2003. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
What is 4-Ethyloctanoic acid used for?
4-Ethyloctanoic acid is described as fruity, sweet, waxy, floral. On the palate it is sour, fruity, slightly acidic. It shows up in beverage, confection, flavoring and dairy.
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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-ETHYLOCTANOIC ACID under CAS 16493-80-4 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.