Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Decanal dimethyl acetal
Decanal dimethyl acetal is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2363 (CAS 7779-41-1). Its odor is sweet, fruity, orange, citrus, floral.
- FEMA
- 2363
- CAS
- 7779-41-1
- JECFA
- 945
- EU FL
- 06.009
- Formula
- C12H26O2
- EC
- 231-928-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 7779-41-1.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Decane, 1,1-dimethoxy-, Decanal, dimethyl acetal, 1,1-Dimethoxydecane, NSC 46132, 1,1-dimethoxydecane, decane, 1,1-dimethoxy-, decylaldehyde dma, decanal, dimethyl acetal, decylaldehyde dimethyl acetal, capraldehyde dimethyl acetal, aldehyde c-10 dimethylacetal, 10,10-dimethoxydecane.
Can Decanal dimethyl acetal be labeled natural?
The process decides for decanal dimethyl acetal. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic decanal dimethyl acetal is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic decanal dimethyl acetal 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 dimethyl acetal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2363. 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 06.009, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 945, evaluated at the 57th meeting in 2001. 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 dimethyl acetal appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 7779-41-1, where EPA names it Decane, 1,1-dimethoxy-.
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, orange, citrus, floral.
Where it is used
Decanal dimethyl acetal 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 Decanal dimethyl acetal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decyl propionate | 2369 | 83% | In nature |
| Methyl myristate | 2722 | 83% | In nature |
| Ethyl undecanoate | 3492 | 82% | In nature |
| Ethyl decanoate | 2432 | 77% | In nature |
| Lauryl acetate | 2616 | 77% | In nature |
More aldehydes in this index
trans-2-Decenal · Undec-2(trans)-enal · (E)-Tetradec-2-enal · cis-4-Heptenal · (E)-4-Undecenal · 2-Ethyl-2-hexenal
Decanal dimethyl acetal FAQ
Is decanal dimethyl acetal on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2363 covers decanal dimethyl acetal. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for decanal dimethyl acetal?
The FEMA number for decanal dimethyl acetal is 2363 and its CAS registry number is 7779-41-1. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is decanal dimethyl acetal used for?
Decanal dimethyl acetal is described as sweet, fruity, orange, citrus, floral. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and flavoring agents.
What did JECFA conclude about decanal dimethyl acetal?
JECFA evaluated decanal dimethyl acetal at the 57th meeting in 2001 under JECFA number 945. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is decanal dimethyl acetal approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 06.009 is the Union List entry for decanal dimethyl acetal, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is decanal dimethyl acetal natural or artificial?
Nature makes decanal dimethyl acetal, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial decanal dimethyl acetal, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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 DECANAL DIMETHYL ACETAL under CAS 7779-41-1 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.