Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Cubebol
Cubebol is a terpene in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4497 (CAS 23445-02-5). Its odor is sweet, herbal, citrus, woody, earthy.
- FEMA
- 4497
- CAS
- 23445-02-5
- JECFA
- 2028
- Formula
- C15H26O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 23445-02-5.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 1H-Cyclopenta[1,3]cyclopropa[1,2]benzen-3-ol, octahydro-3,7-dimethyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-, (3S,3aR,3bR,4S,7R,7aR)-, 1H-Cyclopenta[1,3]cyclopropa[1,2]benzen-3-ol, 2,3,3aα,3bα,4,5,6,7-octahydro-4α-isopropyl-3β,7β-dimethyl-, (-)-, 1H-Cyclopenta[1,3]cyclopropa[1,2]benzen-3-ol, octahydro-3,7-dimethyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-, [3S-(3α,3aβ,3bα,4α,7β,7aS*)]-, (3S,3aR,3bR,4S,7R,7aR)-Octahydro-3,7-dimethyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-1H-cyclopenta[1,3]cyclopropa[1,2]benzen-3-ol, Cubeb camphor, (-)-Cubebol, FEMA 4497, cubeb camphor, (-)-cubebol, 1h-cyclopenta(1,3)cyclopropa(1,2)benzen-3-ol, octahydro-3,7-dimethyl-4-(1-methylethyl)-, (3s,3ar,3br,4s,7r,7ar)-, (1r,4s,5r,6r,7s,10r)-4,10-dimethyl-7-propan-2-yltricyclo[4.4.0.01,5]decan-4-ol, (1r,4s,5r,6r,7s,10r)-4,10-dimethyl-7-propan-2-yltricyclo(4.4.0.01,5)decan-4-ol.
Can Cubebol be labeled natural?
Nature makes cubebol, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial cubebol, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic cubebol 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
Cubebol is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4497. 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 Cubebol. 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 2028.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, herbal, citrus, woody, earthy.
Where it is used
Cubebol is used in beverage, confection, flavoring agents and aromatic compounds, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Cubebol by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Thujanol | 3239 | 79% | In nature |
| Thujyl alcohol | 4079 | 78% | In nature |
| (+)-Cedrol | 4503 | 71% | In nature |
| beta-Ionone epoxide | 4144 | 69% | In nature |
| d-3-Carene | 3821 | 66% | In nature |
More terpenes in this index
Allyl alpha-ionone · d-8-p-Menthene-1,2-epoxide · 4-Methylidene-2-(2-methylprop-1-enyl)oxane · alpha-Campholenic alcohol · d-3-Carene · 2,2,6,7-Tetramethylbicyclo[4.3.0]nona-4,9(1)-dien-8-ol
Cubebol FAQ
Is cubebol FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists cubebol as GRAS under FEMA number 4497. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for cubebol?
Cubebol is FEMA 4497, CAS 23445-02-5. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is cubebol described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe cubebol as sweet, herbal, citrus, woody, earthy. It is used in beverage, confection, flavoring agents and aromatic compounds.
What did JECFA conclude about cubebol?
JECFA evaluated cubebol under JECFA number 2028.
Is cubebol approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for cubebol. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2028), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Does cubebol count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for cubebol. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic cubebol is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic cubebol identical-to-natural.
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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 CUBEBOL under CAS 23445-02-5 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.