Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Anisole
Anisole is a phenol in the floral family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2097 (CAS 100-66-3). Its odor is sweet, floral, anise, herbal, aromatic.
- FEMA
- 2097
- CAS
- 100-66-3
- JECFA
- 1241
- EU FL
- 04.032
- Formula
- C7H8O
- EC
- 202-876-1
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 100-66-3.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzene, methoxy-, Methoxybenzene, Methyl phenyl ether, Phenyl methyl ether, Anisol, Phenoxymethane, NSC 7920, Hichemix MB, methoxybenzene, benzene, methoxy-, methyl phenyl ether, phenoxymethane.
Can Anisole be labeled natural?
Nature makes anisole, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial anisole, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic anisole 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
Anisole is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2097. 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 04.032, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1241, evaluated at the 61st meeting in 2003. 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. Anisole appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 100-66-3, where EPA names it Benzene, methoxy-.
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, floral, anise, herbal, aromatic.
Taste: Sweet, slightly spicy, herbal.
Where it is used
Anisole is used in beverage, confection, bakery, ice cream and liqueurs, typically as a floral note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Anisole by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Methoxypyridine | 4639 | 92% | Not determined |
| 1-Methoxy-2-methylbenzene | 2680 | 92% | In nature |
| Guaiacol | 2532 | 90% | In nature |
| Acetophenone | 2009 | 84% | In nature |
| Benzyl alcohol | 2137 | 84% | In nature |
More phenols in this index
2-Phenoxyethanol · Acetanisole · 1,2-Dimethoxybenzene · 4-Propenylphenol · p-Dimethoxybenzene · Indole
Anisole FAQ
Is anisole FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists anisole as GRAS under FEMA number 2097. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for anisole?
Anisole is FEMA 2097, CAS 100-66-3. Its flavor category is floral.
How is anisole described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe anisole as sweet, floral, anise, herbal, aromatic. On the palate it is sweet, slightly spicy, herbal. It is used in beverage, confection, bakery, ice cream and liqueurs.
What did JECFA conclude about anisole?
JECFA evaluated anisole at the 61st meeting in 2003 under JECFA number 1241. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is anisole on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 04.032 is the Union List entry for anisole, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does anisole count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for anisole. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic anisole is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic anisole identical-to-natural.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
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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 ANISOLE under CAS 100-66-3 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.