Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Allyl phenylacetate
Allyl phenylacetate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2039 (CAS 1797-74-6). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, peach, estery.
- FEMA
- 2039
- CAS
- 1797-74-6
- JECFA
- 17
- EU FL
- 09.790
- Formula
- C11H12O2
- EC
- 217-281-2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 1797-74-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzeneacetic acid, 2-propen-1-yl ester, Acetic acid, phenyl-, allyl ester, Benzeneacetic acid, 2-propenyl ester, 2-Propen-1-yl benzeneacetate, NSC 6574, Allyl 2-phenylethanoate, 2-propenyl phenylacetate, phenylacetic acid allyl ester, prop-2-enyl 2-phenylacetate, benzeneacetic acid, 2-propen-1-yl ester, benzeneacetic acid, 2-propenyl ester, allyl alpha-toluate.
Can Allyl phenylacetate be labeled natural?
The process decides for allyl phenylacetate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic allyl phenylacetate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic allyl phenylacetate 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
Allyl phenylacetate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2039. 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 09.790, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA/EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 17, evaluated at the 46th meeting in 1996. 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. Allyl phenylacetate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 1797-74-6, where EPA names it Benzeneacetic acid, 2-propen-1-yl ester.
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: Sweet, fruity, floral, peach, estery.
Where it is used
Allyl phenylacetate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Allyl phenylacetate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allyl phenoxyacetate | 2038 | 90% | In nature |
| Allyl cinnamate | 2022 | 84% | In nature |
| Propyl phenylacetate | 2955 | 73% | In nature |
| Benzyl acetoacetate | 2136 | 63% | In nature |
| Ethyl phenylacetate | 2452 | 63% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Ethyl 3-octenoate · n-Amyl octanoate · Ethyl 3-oxohexanoate · cis-3-Hexenyl acetoacetate · cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate · Lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propylene glycol
Allyl phenylacetate FAQ
Is allyl phenylacetate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2039 covers allyl phenylacetate. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for allyl phenylacetate?
The FEMA number for allyl phenylacetate is 2039 and its CAS registry number is 1797-74-6. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is allyl phenylacetate used for?
Allyl phenylacetate is described as sweet, fruity, floral, peach, estery. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and desserts.
What did JECFA conclude about allyl phenylacetate?
JECFA evaluated allyl phenylacetate at the 46th meeting in 1996 under JECFA number 17. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is allyl phenylacetate approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 09.790 is the Union List entry for allyl phenylacetate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is allyl phenylacetate natural or artificial?
Nature makes allyl phenylacetate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial allyl phenylacetate, 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 ALLYL PHENYLACETATE under CAS 1797-74-6 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.