Flavor ingredient regulatory record
beta-Naphthyl methyl ether
beta-Naphthyl methyl ether is an ether in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4704 (CAS 93-04-9). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, aromatic, complex.
- FEMA
- 4704
- CAS
- 93-04-9
- JECFA
- 1257
- EU FL
- 04.074
- Formula
- C11H10O
- EC
- 202-213-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 25. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 93-04-9.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Naphthalene, 2-methoxy-, Ether, methyl 2-naphthyl, 2-Methoxynaphthalene, Methyl β-naphthyl ether, β-Naphthol methyl ether, Nerolin, Yara yara, 2-Naphthol methyl ether, Nerolin (old), β-Naphthyl methyl ether, Methyl 2-naphthyl ether, β-Methoxynaphthalene.
Can beta-Naphthyl methyl ether be labeled natural?
Nature occurrence: Not yet found in nature (provisional).
Nature occurrence has not been settled for this substance, so the natural or artificial class is not stated here. The FEMA GRAS status does not depend on it.
Regulatory status, with citations
United States
beta-Naphthyl methyl ether is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4704. 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 04.074, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1257.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. beta-Naphthyl methyl ether appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 93-04-9, where EPA names it Naphthalene, 2-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, fruity, floral, aromatic, complex.
Taste: Sweet, mild, smooth.
Where it is used
beta-Naphthyl methyl ether is used in beverage, confection, flavoring agents and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to beta-Naphthyl methyl ether by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-Methoxyquinoline | 4640 | 88% | Not determined |
| o-Methylanisole | 2768 | 87% | In nature |
| Methyl beta-naphthyl ketone | 2723 | 86% | Not determined |
| 1-Methylnaphthalene | 3193 | 80% | In nature |
| 6-Methylquinoline | 2744 | 78% | In nature |
More ethers in this index
Isoamyl phenethyl ether · 1,1-Dimethoxyethane · Isoeugenyl ethyl ether · Butyl beta-naphthyl ether · sec-Butyl ethyl ether · (2,2-Diethoxyethyl)benzene
beta-Naphthyl methyl ether FAQ
Is beta-Naphthyl methyl ether FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists beta-Naphthyl methyl ether as GRAS under FEMA number 4704. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for beta-Naphthyl methyl ether?
beta-Naphthyl methyl ether is FEMA 4704, CAS 93-04-9. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is beta-Naphthyl methyl ether on the EU Union List?
beta-Naphthyl methyl ether is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 04.074 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated beta-Naphthyl methyl ether?
Yes. JECFA number 1257.
How is beta-Naphthyl methyl ether described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe beta-Naphthyl methyl ether as sweet, fruity, floral, aromatic, complex. On the palate it is sweet, mild, smooth. It is used in beverage, confection, flavoring agents and desserts.
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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-NAPHTHYL METHYL ETHER under CAS 93-04-9 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number. 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.