Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Butyl beta-naphthyl ether
Butyl beta-naphthyl ether is an ether in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4634 (CAS 10484-56-7). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, woody, complex.
- FEMA
- 4634
- CAS
- 10484-56-7
- JECFA
- 2141
- Formula
- C14H16O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 10484-56-7.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Naphthalene, 2-butoxy-, 2-Butoxynaphthalene, Fragarol, β-Naphthol butyl ether, Butyl β-naphthyl ether, Butyl 2-naphthyl ether, 2-butoxynaphthalene, naphthalene, 2-butoxy-, fragarol, ai3-20476, .bata.-naphthol butyl ether, butyl .beta.-naphthyl ether.
Can Butyl beta-naphthyl 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
Butyl beta-naphthyl ether is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4634. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
No EU FL number is on file for Butyl beta-naphthyl ether. That is not a finding either way. The Union List covers defined flavouring substances, so natural complex materials are handled as flavouring preparations under Parts B to F and never receive a number, and substances used as additives sit under Regulation 1333/2008 instead. Confirm the position before EU or UK use.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2141.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Butyl beta-naphthyl ether appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 10484-56-7, where EPA names it Naphthalene, 2-butoxy-.
Inactive in US commerce
EPA designates this substance inactive, so a Notice of Activity Form B is required before anyone manufactures or processes it again. Being FEMA GRAS does not change that. 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, woody, complex.
Where it is used
Butyl beta-naphthyl ether is used in beverage, confection, flavoring, perfume and cosmetics, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Butyl beta-naphthyl ether by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| o-Methylanisole | 2768 | 86% | In nature |
| beta-Naphthyl isobutyl ether | 3719 | 85% | In nature |
| cis-3-Hexenyl benzoate | 3688 | 75% | In nature |
| beta-Naphthyl methyl ether | 4704 | 74% | Not determined |
| Methyl beta-naphthyl ketone | 2723 | 70% | Not determined |
More ethers in this index
beta-Naphthyl methyl ether · Isoamyl phenethyl ether · o-Methylanisole · Digeranyl ether · beta-Naphthyl isobutyl ether · Methyl hexyl ether
Butyl beta-naphthyl ether FAQ
Is butyl beta-naphthyl ether on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 4634 covers butyl beta-naphthyl ether. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for butyl beta-naphthyl ether?
The FEMA number for butyl beta-naphthyl ether is 4634 and its CAS registry number is 10484-56-7. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is butyl beta-naphthyl ether approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for butyl beta-naphthyl ether. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2141), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Has JECFA evaluated butyl beta-naphthyl ether?
Yes. JECFA number 2141.
What is butyl beta-naphthyl ether used for?
Butyl beta-naphthyl ether is described as sweet, fruity, floral, woody, complex. It shows up in beverage, confection, flavoring, perfume and cosmetics.
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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 BUTYL BETA-NAPHTHYL ETHER under CAS 10484-56-7 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.