Flavor ingredient regulatory record
cis-4-Octenol
cis-4-Octenol is an alcohol in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4354 (CAS 54393-36-1). Its odor is green, fruity, floral, herbaceous, fresh.
- FEMA
- 4354
- CAS
- 54393-36-1
- JECFA
- 1625
- Formula
- C8H16O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 23. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 54393-36-1.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: (z)-4-octen-1-ol, cis-4-octenol [fhfi], 4-octen-1-ol, (z)-, 4-octen-1-ol, (4z)-, 4-octen-1-ol, cis-, z-4-octenol, (4z)-4-octen-1-ol, 3-(3-methylbenzoyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine-2(3h)-thione.
Can cis-4-Octenol be labeled natural?
Since cis-4-Octenol is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when cis-4-Octenol is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic cis-4-Octenol identical-to-natural.
- 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-4-Octenol is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4354. 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 cis-4-Octenol. 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 1625, evaluated at the 68th meeting in 2007. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Green, fruity, floral, herbaceous, fresh.
Where it is used
cis-4-Octenol is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and flavoring agents, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to cis-4-Octenol by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| cis-5-Octen-1-ol | 3722 | 99% | In nature |
| cis-3-Octen-1-ol | 3467 | 99% | In nature |
| 2-Octen-1-ol | 3887 | 97% | In nature |
| cis-2-Octenol | 4615 | 97% | In nature |
| cis-3-Nonen-1-ol | 4412 | 94% | In nature |
More alcohols in this index
(+/-)-2-Methyl-1-butanol · 3-Decanol · 1-Decen-3-ol · 2-Nonanol · alpha,alpha-Dimethylphenethyl alcohol · cis-3-Octen-1-ol
cis-4-Octenol FAQ
Does cis-4-Octenol have FEMA GRAS status?
cis-4-Octenol holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4354. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite cis-4-Octenol by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite cis-4-Octenol as FEMA 4354 or CAS 54393-36-1; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Can cis-4-Octenol be labeled a natural flavor?
cis-4-Octenol occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: cis-4-Octenol won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized cis-4-Octenol is artificial. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material identical-to-natural.
Is cis-4-Octenol approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for cis-4-Octenol. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1625), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Has JECFA evaluated cis-4-Octenol?
Yes. JECFA number 1625, evaluated at the 68th meeting in 2007. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What does cis-4-Octenol smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of cis-4-Octenol is green, fruity, floral, herbaceous, fresh. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors and flavoring agents.
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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-4-OCTENOL under CAS 54393-36-1 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.