Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Dehydronootkatone
Dehydronootkatone is a ketone in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4091 (CAS 5090-63-1). Its odor is citrusy, woody, sweet, earthy.
- FEMA
- 4091
- CAS
- 5090-63-1
- JECFA
- 1862
- Formula
- C15H20O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 5090-63-1.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: dehydronootkatone [fifh], 4betah,5alpha-eremophila-1(10),8,11-trien-2-one, 2(3h)-naphthalenone, 4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-4,4a-dimethyl-6-(1-methylethenyl)-, (4r,4as,6s)-, 8,9-didehydronootkatone, dehydronootkatone [fhfi], 2(3h)-naphthalenone, 4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-4,4a-dimethyl-6-(1-methylethenyl)-, (4r-(4alpha,4aalpha,6beta))-, dehydronootkatone (fifh), 4.beta.h,5.alpha.-eremophila-1(10),8,11-trien-2-one, 2(3h)-naphthalenone, 4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-4,4a-dimethyl-6-(1-methylethenyl)-, (4r-(4.alpha.,4a.alpha.,6.beta.))-, dehydro-nootkatone, (4r,4as,6s)-4,4a-dimethyl-6-(prop-1-en-2-yl)-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydronaphthalen-2(3h)-one.
Can Dehydronootkatone be labeled natural?
The process decides for dehydronootkatone. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic dehydronootkatone is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic dehydronootkatone 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
Dehydronootkatone is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4091. 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 Dehydronootkatone. 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 1862, evaluated at the 69th meeting in 2008. 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: Citrusy, woody, sweet, earthy.
Taste: Sweet, citrus, slightly bitter.
Where it is used
Dehydronootkatone is used in beverage, confection, flavoring, perfume and aromatherapy, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Dehydronootkatone by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nootkatone 50% | 4988 | 96% | In nature |
| Dihydronootkatone | 3776 | 89% | In nature |
| alpha-iso-Methylionone | 2714 | 78% | In nature |
| beta-Isomethylionone | 4151 | 77% | In nature |
| Carvyl propionate | 2251 | 72% | In nature |
More ketones in this index
2-cyclohexenone · Isophorone · Mixture of 3-Hydroxy-5-methyl-2-hexanone and 2-Hydroxy-5-methyl-3-hexanone · 1,1'-(Tetrahydro-6a-hydroxy-2,3a,5-trimethylfuro[2,3-d]-1,3-dioxole-2,5-diyl)bis-ethanone · Acetoin · 1-Penten-3-one
Dehydronootkatone FAQ
Is dehydronootkatone on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 4091 covers dehydronootkatone. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for dehydronootkatone?
The FEMA number for dehydronootkatone is 4091 and its CAS registry number is 5090-63-1. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is dehydronootkatone used for?
Dehydronootkatone is described as citrusy, woody, sweet, earthy. On the palate it is sweet, citrus, slightly bitter. It shows up in beverage, confection, flavoring, perfume and aromatherapy.
What did JECFA conclude about dehydronootkatone?
JECFA evaluated dehydronootkatone at the 69th meeting in 2008 under JECFA number 1862. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is dehydronootkatone approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for dehydronootkatone. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1862), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Is dehydronootkatone natural or artificial?
Nature makes dehydronootkatone, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial dehydronootkatone, 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 DEHYDRONOOTKATONE under CAS 5090-63-1 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.