Flavor ingredient regulatory record
4-Methyloctanoic acid
4-Methyloctanoic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3575 (CAS 54947-74-9). Its odor is fruity, waxy, fatty, sweet.
- FEMA
- 3575
- CAS
- 54947-74-9
- JECFA
- 271
- EU FL
- 08.063
- Formula
- C9H18O2
- EC
- 259-404-2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 11. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 54947-74-9.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Octanoic acid, 4-methyl-, 4-Methylcaprylic acid, Hircinoic acid, octanoic acid, 4-methyl-, 4-methylcaprylic acid, 4-methyl-octanoic acid, 4-methyl-n-octanoic acid, hircinoic acid, 4-methyl octanoic acid, (+/-)-4-methyloctanoic acid, 4-methyloctanoicacid, (4s)-4-methyloctanoate.
Can 4-Methyloctanoic acid be labeled natural?
The process decides for 4-Methyloctanoic acid. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 4-Methyloctanoic acid is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 4-Methyloctanoic 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-Methyloctanoic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3575. 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 08.063, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 271, evaluated at the 49th meeting in 1997. 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-Methyloctanoic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 54947-74-9, where EPA names it Octanoic acid, 4-methyl-.
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, waxy, fatty, sweet.
Taste: Sour, fatty, mild.
Where it is used
4-Methyloctanoic acid is used in beverage, dairy, confection and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 4-Methyloctanoic 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 |
| Octanoic acid | 2799 | 93% | In nature |
| 4-Ethyloctanoic acid | 3800 | 92% | In nature |
| Nonanoic acid | 2784 | 91% | In nature |
| Decanoic acid | 2364 | 81% | In nature |
More acids in this index
Undecanoic acid · 2-Oxobutyric acid · 2-Oxo-3-phenylpropionic acid sodium salt · 5-Methylhexanoic acid · 4-Pentenoic acid · 3-Methylpentanoic acid
4-Methyloctanoic acid FAQ
Is 4-Methyloctanoic acid on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3575 covers 4-Methyloctanoic acid. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for 4-Methyloctanoic acid?
The FEMA number for 4-Methyloctanoic acid is 3575 and its CAS registry number is 54947-74-9. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is 4-Methyloctanoic acid used for?
4-Methyloctanoic acid is described as fruity, waxy, fatty, sweet. On the palate it is sour, fatty, mild. It shows up in beverage, dairy, confection and savory dishes.
What did JECFA conclude about 4-Methyloctanoic acid?
JECFA evaluated 4-Methyloctanoic acid at the 49th meeting in 1997 under JECFA number 271. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is 4-Methyloctanoic acid approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 08.063 is the Union List entry for 4-Methyloctanoic acid, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is 4-Methyloctanoic acid natural or artificial?
Nature makes 4-Methyloctanoic acid, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 4-Methyloctanoic acid, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material identical-to-natural.
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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-METHYLOCTANOIC ACID under CAS 54947-74-9 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.