Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol
Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol is a terpene in the spice family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4780 (CAS 38284-26-3). Its odor is warm, spicy, clove, woody.
- FEMA
- 4780
- CAS
- 38284-26-3
- JECFA
- 2264
- Formula
- C15H24O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS. Source: FEMA Flavor Ingredient Library.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Bicyclo[7.2.0]undecan-5-ol, 10,10-dimethyl-2,6-bis(methylene)-, Bicyclo[7.2.0]undecan-5-ol, 10,10-dimethyl-2,6-dimethylene-, 10,10-Dimethyl-2,6-bis(methylene)bicyclo[7.2.0]undecan-5-ol, Caryophyllenol, 10,10-dimethyl-2,6-dimethylidenebicyclo[7.2.0]undecan-5-ol, bicyclo[7.2.0]undecan-5-ol, 10,10-dimethyl-2,6-bis(methylene)-, 10,10-dimethyl-2,6-dimethylidenebicyclo(7.2.0)undecan-5-ol, bicyclo(7.2.0)undecan-5-ol, 10,10-dimethyl-2,6-bis(methylene)-, 10,10-dimethyl-2,6-bis(methylene)bicyclo(7.2.0)undecan-5-ol, 10,10-dimethyl-2,6-bis(methylene)bicyclo[7.2.0]undecan-5-ol, caryophyllenol, caryophylladienol ii.
Can Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol be labeled natural?
Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol 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.
- 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
Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4780. 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 Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol. 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 2264.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 38284-26-3, where EPA names it Bicyclo[7.2.0]undecan-5-ol, 10,10-dimethyl-2,6-bis(methylene)-.
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: Warm, spicy, clove, woody.
Taste: Spicy, warm, slightly sweet.
Where it is used
Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol is used in beverage, confection, seasoning and savory dishes, typically as a spice note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol 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 | 93% | In nature |
| beta-Caryophyllene oxide | 4085 | 87% | In nature |
More terpenes in this index
Caryophyllene alcohol · dl-Camphor · beta-Caryophyllene oxide · p-Cymene · 2,2,6,7-Tetramethylbicyclo[4.3.0]nona-4,9(1)-dien-8-ol · 1,4-Cineole
Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol FAQ
Does caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol have FEMA GRAS status?
Caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4780. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol as FEMA 4780 or CAS 38284-26-3; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the spice flavor category.
Can caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol be labeled a natural flavor?
Since caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol is synthesized. 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.
Is caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2264), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Has JECFA evaluated caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol?
Yes. JECFA number 2264.
What does caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of caryophylla-3(4),8-dien-5-ol is warm, spicy, clove, woody. On the palate it is spicy, warm, slightly sweet. Typical uses are beverage, confection, seasoning and savory dishes.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
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Sources and attribution. The FEMA number and GRAS status on this page name a conclusion reached by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States. FDA does not list this substance by FEMA number in its Substances Added to Food inventory. Its identity is attested by EPA TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory, matched on CAS 38284-26-3.
FEMA publishes its own entry for this substance in the FEMA Flavor Library, which is the authoritative record 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.