Flavor ingredient regulatory record
4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene
4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene is an alkene in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4650 (CAS 691-38-3). Its odor is fruity, green, fresh, sweet.
- FEMA
- 4650
- CAS
- 691-38-3
- JECFA
- 2194
- Formula
- C6H12
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 691-38-3.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2-Pentene, 4-methyl-, (2Z)-, 2-Pentene, 4-methyl-, (Z)-, 2-Pentene, 4-methyl-, cis-, (2Z)-4-Methyl-2-pentene, cis-4-Methyl-2-pentene, (Z)-4-Methyl-2-pentene, cis-2-Methyl-3-pentene, cis-1-Isopropylpropene, cis-4-methyl-2-pentene, (z)-4-methyl-2-pentene, 2-pentene, 4-methyl-, (z)-, cis-4-methylpent-2-ene.
Can 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene 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-Methyl-cis-2-pentene is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4650. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
No EU FL number is on file for 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene. That is not a finding either way. The Union List covers defined flavouring substances, so natural complex materials are handled as flavouring preparations under Parts B to F and never receive a number, and substances used as additives sit under Regulation 1333/2008 instead. Confirm the position before EU or UK use.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2194, evaluated at the 79th meeting in 2014. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Fruity, green, fresh, sweet.
Where it is used
4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and flavoring agents, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Pentanol | 3316 | 90% | In nature |
| 3-Penten-2-one | 3417 | 90% | In nature |
| 4-Methyl-2-pentanone | 2731 | 83% | In nature |
| 2-Pentanone | 2842 | 83% | In nature |
| 4-Methyl-3-penten-2-one | 3368 | 81% | In nature |
More alkenes in this index
1-Nonene · 1,3,5-Undecatriene · 2,4-Nonadiene · 1,3,5,7-Undecatetraene · cis- and trans-1-Methoxy-1-decene · 1-Octene
4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene FAQ
Is 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene as GRAS under FEMA number 4650. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene?
4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene is FEMA 4650, CAS 691-38-3. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2194), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Has JECFA evaluated 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene?
Yes. JECFA number 2194, evaluated at the 79th meeting in 2014. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
How is 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene as fruity, green, fresh, sweet. It is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and flavoring agents.
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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-METHYL-CIS-2-PENTENE under CAS 691-38-3 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.