Flavor ingredient regulatory record
alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate
alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2684 (CAS 93-92-5). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, pear, apple.
- FEMA
- 2684
- CAS
- 93-92-5
- JECFA
- 801
- EU FL
- 09.178
- Formula
- C10H12O2
- EC
- 202-288-5
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 93-92-5.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzenemethanol, α-methyl-, 1-acetate, Benzyl alcohol, α-methyl-, acetate, Benzenemethanol, α-methyl-, acetate, Gardeniol II, Gardenol, α-Methylbenzyl acetate, α-Methylbenzyl alcohol, acetate, Methyl phenyl carbinyl acetate, sec-Phenylethyl acetate, α-Phenylethyl acetate, 1-Phenylethyl acetate, Methylphenylcarbinol acetate.
Can alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate be labeled natural?
alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate 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
alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2684. 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 09.178, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 801, 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.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 93-92-5, where EPA names it Benzenemethanol, .alpha.-methyl-, 1-acetate.
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, pear, apple.
Where it is used
alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and baked goods, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl phenylacetate | 2452 | 87% | In nature |
| Phenethyl acetate | 2857 | 87% | In nature |
| Benzyl acetate | 2135 | 73% | In nature |
| Ethyl benzoylacetate | 2423 | 69% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Pinocarvyl acetate · Isoamyl octanoate · Rhodinyl butyrate · 6-Hydroxydihydrotheaspirane · Butyl laurate · Cinnamyl benzoate
alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate FAQ
Is alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2684 covers alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate?
The FEMA number for alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate is 2684 and its CAS registry number is 93-92-5. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate natural or artificial?
Since alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate identical-to-natural.
Is alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate approved in the EU?
alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 09.178 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate?
Yes. JECFA number 801, evaluated at the 57th meeting in 2001. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate used for?
alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate is described as sweet, fruity, floral, pear, apple. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and baked goods.
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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 ALPHA-METHYLBENZYL ACETATE under CAS 93-92-5 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.