Flavor ingredient regulatory record
4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone
4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone is a ketone in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3074 (CAS 7774-79-0). Its odor is sweet, fruity, caramel, floral.
- FEMA
- 3074
- CAS
- 7774-79-0
- JECFA
- 817
- EU FL
- 07.026
- Formula
- C11H14O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 7774-79-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2-Butanone, 4-(4-methylphenyl)-, 2-Butanone, 4-p-tolyl-, 4-(4-Methylphenyl)-2-butanone, p-Methylbenzylacetone, 4-(4-Tolyl)-2-butanone, 4-(4-methylphenyl)-2-butanone, 2-butanone, 4-(4-methylphenyl)-, 4-(4-tolyl)-2-butanone, 2-butanone, 4-p-tolyl-, p-methylbenzylacetone, methylbenzylacetone, p-, ai3-20955.
Can 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone be labeled natural?
Since 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone is synthesized. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3074. 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 07.026, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 817, 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.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, fruity, caramel, floral.
Where it is used
4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone is used in beverage, confection, bakery and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benzyl acetate | 2135 | 83% | In nature |
| 2-Methyl-4-phenyl-2-butanol | 3629 | 69% | In nature |
| 4-Phenyl-2-butanol | 2879 | 69% | In nature |
| 2-Methyl-3-(p-tolyl)propionaldehyde | 2748 | 68% | Not determined |
| 3-Methyl-4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one | 2734 | 67% | In nature |
More ketones in this index
1-(p-Methoxyphenyl)-1-penten-3-one · 2-Butanone · 2-Methoxyacetophenone · 4-(p-Acetoxyphenyl)-2-butanone · Hydroxyacetone · 3-Methyl-2,4-nonanedione
4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone FAQ
Is 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3074 covers 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone?
The FEMA number for 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone is 3074 and its CAS registry number is 7774-79-0. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone natural or artificial?
4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone 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.
Is 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone approved in the EU?
4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 07.026 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone?
Yes. JECFA number 817, evaluated at the 57th meeting in 2001. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is 4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone used for?
4-(p-Tolyl)-2-butanone is described as sweet, fruity, caramel, floral. It shows up in beverage, confection, bakery and desserts.
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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-(P-TOLYL)-2-BUTANONE under CAS 7774-79-0 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number and its 21 CFR citations. 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.