Flavor ingredient regulatory record
6-Methylquinoline
6-Methylquinoline is a heterocyclic compound in the spice family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2744 (CAS 91-62-3). Its odor is smoky, spicy, earthy, herbal.
- FEMA
- 2744
- CAS
- 91-62-3
- JECFA
- 1302
- EU FL
- 14.042
- Formula
- C10H9N
- EC
- 202-084-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 91-62-3.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Quinoline, 6-methyl-, NSC 4152, p-toluquinoline, quinoline, 6-methyl-, p-methylquinoline, 6-methyl-quinoline, tolliquinoline, p-, quinoline, 6-methyl- (8ci,9ci), 6-methyl quinoline, ai3-08869, p-tolliquinoline, 6-methylquinoline, 98%.
Can 6-Methylquinoline be labeled natural?
6-Methylquinoline occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: 6-Methylquinoline won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized 6-Methylquinoline is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 6-Methylquinoline 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
6-Methylquinoline is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2744. 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 14.042, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1302, evaluated at the 63rd meeting in 2004. 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. 6-Methylquinoline appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 91-62-3, where EPA names it Quinoline, 6-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: Smoky, spicy, earthy, herbal.
Taste: Bitter, savory, complex.
Where it is used
6-Methylquinoline is used in beverage, savory dishes, seasoning and snacks, typically as a spice note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 6-Methylquinoline by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-Methoxyquinoline | 4640 | 84% | Not determined |
| 5-Methylquinoxaline | 3203 | 83% | In nature |
| Isoquinoline | 2978 | 83% | In nature |
| beta-Naphthyl methyl ether | 4704 | 78% | Not determined |
| 2-Naphthalenethiol | 3314 | 77% | In nature |
More heterocyclic compounds in this index
Trimethyloxazole · 2-Pyridine · 4-Amino-5,6-dimethylthieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2(1H)-one · Pyrrole
6-Methylquinoline FAQ
Is 6-Methylquinoline on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2744 covers 6-Methylquinoline. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for 6-Methylquinoline?
The FEMA number for 6-Methylquinoline is 2744 and its CAS registry number is 91-62-3. FEMA files it in the spice flavor category.
Is 6-Methylquinoline natural or artificial?
Since 6-Methylquinoline is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when 6-Methylquinoline is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 6-Methylquinoline identical-to-natural.
Is 6-Methylquinoline approved in the EU?
6-Methylquinoline is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 14.042 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated 6-Methylquinoline?
Yes. JECFA number 1302, evaluated at the 63rd meeting in 2004. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is 6-Methylquinoline used for?
6-Methylquinoline is described as smoky, spicy, earthy, herbal. On the palate it is bitter, savory, complex. It shows up in beverage, savory dishes, seasoning and snacks.
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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 6-METHYLQUINOLINE under CAS 91-62-3 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.