Flavor ingredient regulatory record
beta-Caryophyllene oxide
beta-Caryophyllene oxide is a terpene in the spice family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4085 (CAS 1139-30-6). Its odor is spicy, woody, herbal, earthy.
- FEMA
- 4085
- CAS
- 1139-30-6
- JECFA
- 1575
- EU FL
- 16.043
- Formula
- C15H24O
- EC
- 214-519-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 1139-30-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 5-Oxatricyclo[8.2.0.04,6]dodecane, 4,12,12-trimethyl-9-methylene-, (1R,4R,6R,10S)-, 5-Oxatricyclo[8.2.0.04,6]dodecane, 4,12,12-trimethyl-9-methylene-, [1R-(1R*,4R*,6R*,10S*)]-, Caryophyllene oxide, Caryophyllene, epoxide, (1R,4R,6R,10S)-4,12,12-Trimethyl-9-methylene-5-oxatricyclo[8.2.0.04,6]dodecane, (-)-β-Caryophyllene epoxide, β-Caryophyllene oxide, β-Caryophyllene epoxide, (-)-Epoxydihydrocaryophyllene, (-)-β-Caryophyllene oxide, 4β,5α-Epoxycaryophyllene, (-)-Caryophyllene oxide.
Can beta-Caryophyllene oxide be labeled natural?
Nature makes beta-Caryophyllene oxide, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial beta-Caryophyllene oxide, same molecule. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
- 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
beta-Caryophyllene oxide is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4085. 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 16.043, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1575, evaluated at the 65th meeting in 2005. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list. Listed on the EPA TSCA inventory.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. beta-Caryophyllene oxide appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 1139-30-6, where EPA names it 5-Oxatricyclo[8.2.0.04,6]dodecane, 4,12,12-trimethyl-9-methylene-, (1R,4R,6R,10S)-.
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: Spicy, woody, herbal, earthy.
Taste: Bitter, spicy, herbal.
Where it is used
beta-Caryophyllene oxide is used in beverage, seasoning, confection and savory dishes, typically as a spice note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to beta-Caryophyllene oxide by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| beta-Caryophyllene | 2252 | 90% | In nature |
| Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol | 4780 | 87% | In nature |
| Cubebol | 4497 | 56% | In nature |
| beta-Ionone epoxide | 4144 | 41% | In nature |
| 10-Hydroxymethylene-2-pinene | 3938 | 39% | In nature |
More terpenes in this index
Caryophyllene alcohol · Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol · dl-Camphor · d-Fenchone · (E,R)-3,7-Dimethyl-1,5,7-octatrien-3-ol · p-Mentha-1,4-diene
beta-Caryophyllene oxide FAQ
Is beta-Caryophyllene oxide on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 4085 covers beta-Caryophyllene oxide. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for beta-Caryophyllene oxide?
The FEMA number for beta-Caryophyllene oxide is 4085 and its CAS registry number is 1139-30-6. Its flavor category is spice.
What is beta-Caryophyllene oxide used for?
beta-Caryophyllene oxide is described as spicy, woody, herbal, earthy. On the palate it is bitter, spicy, herbal. It shows up in beverage, seasoning, confection and savory dishes.
What did JECFA conclude about beta-Caryophyllene oxide?
JECFA evaluated beta-Caryophyllene oxide at the 65th meeting in 2005 under JECFA number 1575. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is beta-Caryophyllene oxide approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 16.043 is the Union List entry for beta-Caryophyllene oxide, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is beta-Caryophyllene oxide natural or artificial?
The process decides for beta-Caryophyllene oxide. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic beta-Caryophyllene oxide is artificial. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
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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 BETA-CARYOPHYLLENE OXIDE under CAS 1139-30-6 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 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.