Flavor ingredient regulatory record
5-Oxododecanoic acid
5-Oxododecanoic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4458 (CAS 3637-16-9). Its odor is fruity, fatty, waxy, green.
- FEMA
- 4458
- CAS
- 3637-16-9
- JECFA
- 1963
- Formula
- C12H22O3
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 3637-16-9.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 5-oxolauric acid, dodecanoic acid, 5-oxo-.
Can 5-Oxododecanoic acid 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
5-Oxododecanoic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4458. 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 5-Oxododecanoic acid. 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 1963.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Fruity, fatty, waxy, green.
Taste: Sour, fatty, mild.
Where it is used
5-Oxododecanoic acid is used in beverage, confection, dairy and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 5-Oxododecanoic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Oxodecanoic acid | 4456 | 95% | Not determined |
| 5-Oxooctanoic acid | 4455 | 83% | In nature |
| Undecanoic acid | 3245 | 82% | In nature |
| Lauric acid | 2614 | 81% | In nature |
| L-Monomenthyl glutarate | 4006 | 74% | In nature |
More acids in this index
4-Methoxybenzoic acid · 3-Methylpentanoic acid · 3-Methyl-2-oxopentanoic acid · 4-Amino-5-(3-(isopropylamino)-2,2-dimethyl-3-oxopropoxy)-2-methylquinoline-3-carboxylic acid · 2,4-Dimethyl-2-pentenoic acid · 4-Decenoic Acid
5-Oxododecanoic acid FAQ
Is 5-Oxododecanoic acid FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 5-Oxododecanoic acid as GRAS under FEMA number 4458. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 5-Oxododecanoic acid?
5-Oxododecanoic acid is FEMA 4458, CAS 3637-16-9. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is 5-Oxododecanoic acid approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for 5-Oxododecanoic acid. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1963), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Has JECFA evaluated 5-Oxododecanoic acid?
Yes. JECFA number 1963.
How is 5-Oxododecanoic acid described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 5-Oxododecanoic acid as fruity, fatty, waxy, green. On the palate it is sour, fatty, mild. It is used in beverage, confection, dairy and savory dishes.
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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 5-OXODODECANOIC ACID under CAS 3637-16-9 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.