Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Benzyl formate
Benzyl formate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2145 (CAS 104-57-4). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, cherry, almond.
- FEMA
- 2145
- CAS
- 104-57-4
- JECFA
- 841
- EU FL
- 09.077
- Formula
- C8H8O2
- EC
- 203-214-4
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 104-57-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Formic acid, phenylmethyl ester, Formic acid, benzyl ester, Benzyl methanoate, Benzyl alcohol, formate, NSC 8049, benzyl methanoate, formic acid, phenylmethyl ester, phenylmethyl formate, benzyl alcohol, formate, formic acid, benzyl ester, formic acid benzyl ester, benzyl formiat.
Can Benzyl formate be labeled natural?
Nature makes benzyl formate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial benzyl formate, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic benzyl formate 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
Benzyl formate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2145. 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 09.077, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 841, 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. Benzyl formate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 104-57-4, where EPA names it Formic acid, phenylmethyl 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, cherry, almond.
Where it is used
Benzyl formate 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 Benzyl formate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Phenylpropionaldehyde | 2887 | 87% | In nature |
| Phenethyl formate | 2864 | 86% | In nature |
| Cinnamaldehyde | 2286 | 82% | In nature |
| p-Tolylacetaldehyde | 3071 | 75% | In nature |
| Cinnamyl formate | 2299 | 69% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Benzyl hexanoate · Guaiacol isobutyrate · (E)-Ethyl 3-(2-furyl)acrylate · 3-Octyl butyrate · cis-Hexenyl propionate · Dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-yl 2-ethylbutanoate
Benzyl formate FAQ
Is benzyl formate FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists benzyl formate as GRAS under FEMA number 2145. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for benzyl formate?
Benzyl formate is FEMA 2145, CAS 104-57-4. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is benzyl formate described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe benzyl formate as sweet, fruity, floral, cherry, almond. It is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and baked goods.
What did JECFA conclude about benzyl formate?
JECFA evaluated benzyl formate at the 57th meeting in 2001 under JECFA number 841. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is benzyl formate on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 09.077 is the Union List entry for benzyl formate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does benzyl formate count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for benzyl formate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic benzyl formate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic benzyl formate 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 BENZYL FORMATE under CAS 104-57-4 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 flavor enhancer, 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.