Flavor ingredient regulatory record
cis-6-Nonenal
cis-6-Nonenal is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3580 (CAS 2277-19-2). Its odor is green, fatty, cucumber, floral, fresh.
- FEMA
- 3580
- CAS
- 2277-19-2
- JECFA
- 325
- EU FL
- 05.059
- Formula
- C9H16O
- EC
- 218-900-9
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 11. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 2277-19-2.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 6-Nonenal, (6Z)-, 6-Nonenal, (Z)-, (6Z)-6-Nonenal, 6-Nonenal, cis-, (Z)-6-Nonenal, (z)-non-6-enal, (6z)-non-6-enal, 6-nonenal, (6z)-, 6-nonenal, (z)-, (z)-6-nonenal, cis-6-nonen-1-al, 6-nonenal, cis-.
Can cis-6-Nonenal be labeled natural?
cis-6-Nonenal occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: cis-6-Nonenal won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized cis-6-Nonenal 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
cis-6-Nonenal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3580. 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 05.059, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
Purity. At least 90%; secondary component 6-9% trans-6-nonenal
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 325, evaluated at the 51st meeting in 1998. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list. Listed on the EPA TSCA inventory.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. cis-6-Nonenal appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 2277-19-2, where EPA names it 6-Nonenal, (6Z)-.
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: Green, fatty, cucumber, floral, fresh.
Where it is used
cis-6-Nonenal is used in beverage, fruit flavors, savory dishes and salad dressings, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to cis-6-Nonenal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| (E)-4-Nonenal | 4302 | 99% | In nature |
| cis-8-Decenal | 4945 | 98% | Not determined |
| cis-5-Octenal | 3749 | 97% | In nature |
| Nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal | 3377 | 97% | In nature |
| trans-Nonenal | 3213 | 94% | In nature |
More aldehydes in this index
Decanal dimethyl acetal · 4-Methyl-2-(methylthiomethyl)-2-hexenal · 4-Methyl-2-(methylthiomethyl)-2-pentenal · 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal · (E,E)-2,4-Heptadienal · 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal
cis-6-Nonenal FAQ
Does cis-6-Nonenal have FEMA GRAS status?
cis-6-Nonenal holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3580. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite cis-6-Nonenal by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite cis-6-Nonenal as FEMA 3580 or CAS 2277-19-2; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Can cis-6-Nonenal be labeled a natural flavor?
Since cis-6-Nonenal is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when cis-6-Nonenal 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.
Can cis-6-Nonenal be used in the EU and UK?
cis-6-Nonenal is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 05.059 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated cis-6-Nonenal?
Yes. JECFA number 325, evaluated at the 51st meeting in 1998. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What does cis-6-Nonenal smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of cis-6-Nonenal is green, fatty, cucumber, floral, fresh. Typical uses are beverage, fruit flavors, savory dishes and salad dressings.
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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-6-NONENAL under CAS 2277-19-2 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.