Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Decanal
Decanal is an aldehyde in the citrus family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2362 (CAS 112-31-2). Its odor is orange, citrus, waxy, aldehydic.
- FEMA
- 2362
- CAS
- 112-31-2
- JECFA
- 104
- EU FL
- 05.010
- Formula
- C10H20O
- EC
- 203-957-4
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 112-31-2.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Capraldehyde, Capric aldehyde, Caprinaldehyde, Caprinic aldehyde, Decaldehyde, n-Decanal, Decyl aldehyde, n-Decyl aldehyde, Decylic aldehyde, n-Decaldehyde, Decanaldehyde, NSC 6087.
Can Decanal be labeled natural?
Since decanal is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when decanal is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic decanal 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
Decanal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2362. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 182.60.
European Union and United Kingdom
Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 05.010, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
Purity. At least 92%; secondary component 4-7% 2-methylnonanal
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 104, evaluated at the 49th meeting in 2002. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Decanal appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 112-31-2, where EPA names it Decanal.
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: Orange, citrus, waxy, aldehydic.
Taste: Citrus, orange peel, fatty.
Where it is used
Decanal is used in orange and citrus, typically as a citrus note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Decanal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonanal | 2782 | 99% | In nature |
| Undecanal | 3092 | 98% | In nature |
| Lauric aldehyde | 2615 | 97% | In nature |
| Octanal | 2797 | 96% | In nature |
| cis-8-Decenal | 4945 | 94% | Not determined |
More aldehydes in this index
Citral · Citral glyceryl acetal · Citronellal · Octanal · Lauric aldehyde · (+/-)-2-(5-Methyl-5-vinyl-tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)propionaldehyde
Decanal FAQ
Does decanal have FEMA GRAS status?
Decanal holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 2362. It is also codified at 21 CFR 182.60.
How do I cite decanal by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite decanal as FEMA 2362 or CAS 112-31-2; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the citrus flavor category.
Can decanal be labeled a natural flavor?
Decanal occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: decanal won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized decanal is artificial. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material identical-to-natural.
Can decanal be used in the EU and UK?
Decanal is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 05.010 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated decanal?
Yes. JECFA number 104, evaluated at the 49th meeting in 2002. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What does decanal smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of decanal is orange, citrus, waxy, aldehydic. On the palate it is citrus, orange peel, fatty. Typical uses are orange and citrus.
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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 DECANAL under CAS 112-31-2 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number and its 21 CFR citations. 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.