Flavor ingredient regulatory record
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3988 (CAS 121-34-6). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, berry, tart.
- FEMA
- 3988
- CAS
- 121-34-6
- JECFA
- 959
- EU FL
- 08.043
- Formula
- C8H8O4
- EC
- 204-466-8
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 20. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 121-34-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-, Vanillic acid, 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid, VA, 3-Methoxy-4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2-Methoxy-4-carboxyphenol, NSC 3987, NSC 674322, m-Methoxy-p-hydroxy-benzoic acid, Methylprotocatechuic acid, 4-Carboxyl-2-methoxyphenol, MeSH ID: D014641.
Can 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid be labeled natural?
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid is artificial. 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.
- 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-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3988. 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 08.043, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 959, evaluated at the 57th meeting in 2001. 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. 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 121-34-6, where EPA names it Benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-.
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, tart.
Where it is used
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, sauces and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid | 4430 | 90% | In nature |
| 3-Methoxybenzoic acid | 3944 | 88% | In nature |
| Vanillyl alcohol | 3737 | 85% | In nature |
| 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid | 3986 | 82% | In nature |
| Gallic acid | 4994 | 79% | In nature |
More acids in this index
3-Methyl-2-oxobutanoic acid · 2-Methyl-4-pentenoic acid · 2-Oxo-3-phenylpropionic acid sodium salt · 3,7-Dimethyl-6-octenoic acid · 2,4-Dimethyl-2-pentenoic acid · 2-Methyl-2-pentenoic acid
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid FAQ
Does 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid have FEMA GRAS status?
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3988. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid as FEMA 3988 or CAS 121-34-6; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Can 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid be labeled a natural flavor?
Since 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic 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-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid is synthesized. 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.
Can 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid be used in the EU and UK?
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.043 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid?
Yes. JECFA number 959, evaluated at the 57th meeting in 2001. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What does 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid is sweet, fruity, floral, berry, tart. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors, sauces and desserts.
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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 VANILLIC ACID under CAS 121-34-6 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.