Flavor ingredient regulatory record
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3812 (CAS 1135-24-6). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, herbal.
- FEMA
- 3812
- CAS
- 1135-24-6
- JECFA
- 2014
- EU FL
- 08.089
- Formula
- C10H10O4
- EC
- 214-490-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 17. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 24276-84-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2-Propenoic acid, 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-, Cinnamic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-, 3-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenoic acid, Ferulic acid, 3-Methoxy-4-hydroxycinnamic acid, 3-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acrylic acid, Coniferic acid, Ferulaic acid, 4′-Hydroxy-3′-methoxycinnamic acid, NSC 2821, NSC 51986, NSC 674320.
Can 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid be labeled natural?
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic 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-methoxycinnamic acid is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic 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-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3812. 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 08.089, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2014, evaluated at the 73rd meeting in 2010. 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-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 1135-24-6, where EPA names it 2-Propenoic acid, 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-.
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, herbal.
Where it is used
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid is used in beverage, confection, flavoring, desserts and bakery, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanillylidene acetone | 3738 | 88% | In nature |
| Zingerone | 3124 | 67% | In nature |
| 4-(p-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone | 2588 | 66% | In nature |
| Vanillin acetate | 3108 | 64% | In nature |
| Vanillin isobutyrate | 3754 | 51% | In nature |
More acids in this index
3-Isopropenyl-6-oxoheptanoic acid · 2-Methylhexanoic acid · 3-Methylcrotonic acid · Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid · 5-Oxododecanoic acid · 3-Methylpentanoic acid
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid FAQ
Is 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3812 covers 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid?
The FEMA number for 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid is 3812 and its CAS registry number is 1135-24-6. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid natural or artificial?
Since 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic 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-methoxycinnamic acid is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid identical-to-natural.
Is 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid approved in the EU?
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.089 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid?
Yes. JECFA number 2014, evaluated at the 73rd meeting in 2010. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
What is 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid used for?
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid is described as sweet, fruity, floral, herbal. It shows up in beverage, confection, flavoring, desserts and bakery.
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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 SODIUM 3-METHOXY-4-HYDROXYCINNAMATE under CAS 24276-84-4 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.