Flavor ingredient regulatory record
cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate
cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3689 (CAS 61444-38-0). Its odor is sweet, fruity, green, grassy, fresh.
- FEMA
- 3689
- CAS
- 61444-38-0
- JECFA
- 336
- EU FL
- 09.291
- Formula
- C12H20O2
- EC
- 262-797-3
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 13. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 61444-38-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 3-Hexenoic acid, (3Z)-3-hexen-1-yl ester, (3Z)-, 3-Hexenoic acid, 3-hexenyl ester, (Z,Z)-, 3-Hexenoic acid, (3Z)-3-hexenyl ester, (3Z)-, (3z)-hex-3-en-1-yl (3z)-hex-3-enoate, hex-3z-enyl hex-3z-enoate, (z)-hex-3-enyl (z)-hex-3-enoate, 3-hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate, cis-, 3-hexenoic acid, 3-hexenyl ester, (z,z)-, 3-hexenyl (z)-3-hexenoate, (z)-, 3-hexenoic acid, (3z)-3-hexen-1-yl ester, (3z)-, 3-hexen-1-yl-3-hexenoate,(z,z)-, cis-3-hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate [fhfi].
Can cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate be labeled natural?
Nature makes cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate, 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
cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3689. 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 09.291, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 336, evaluated at the 51st meeting in 1998. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 61444-38-0, where EPA names it 3-Hexenoic acid, (3Z)-3-hexen-1-yl ester, (3Z)-.
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, green, grassy, fresh.
Taste: Sweet, fruity, green.
Where it is used
cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, flavoring agents and perfumes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| cis-3-Hexenyl valerate | 3936 | 90% | In nature |
| trans-2-Octen-1-yl butanoate | 3517 | 86% | In nature |
| Propyl 2,4-decadienoate | 3648 | 86% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Isopropyl cinnamate · Cinnamyl isobutyrate · Methyl 3-(methylthio)butanoate · (Z)-3-Hexenyl 2-oxopropionate · Carvyl propionate · Isoamyl cinnamate
cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate FAQ
Is cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3689 covers cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate?
The FEMA number for cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate is 3689 and its CAS registry number is 61444-38-0. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate used for?
cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate is described as sweet, fruity, green, grassy, fresh. On the palate it is sweet, fruity, green. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, flavoring agents and perfumes.
What did JECFA conclude about cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate?
JECFA evaluated cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate at the 51st meeting in 1998 under JECFA number 336. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 09.291 is the Union List entry for cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate natural or artificial?
The process decides for cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic cis-3-Hexenyl cis-3-hexenoate 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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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 CIS-3-HEXENYL CIS-3-HEXENOATE under CAS 61444-38-0 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.