Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Dihydroxyacetone dimer
Dihydroxyacetone dimer is a ketone in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4033 (CAS 62147-49-3). Its odor is sweet, caramel, fruity, syrupy.
- FEMA
- 4033
- CAS
- 62147-49-3
- JECFA
- 1716
- Formula
- C6H12O6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 21. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 62147-49-3.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 1,4-Dioxane-2,5-dimethanol, 2,5-dihydroxy-, (2R,5S)-rel-, 1,4-Dioxane-2,5-dimethanol, 2,5-dihydroxy-, trans-, rel-(2R,5S)-2,5-Dihydroxy-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dimethanol, 1,3-dihydroxyacetone dimer, trans-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,4-dioxane-2,5-diol, (2r,5s)-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1,4-dioxane-2,5-diol, rel-(2r,5s)-2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dimethanol, 1,4-dioxane-2,5-dimethanol, 2,5-dihydroxy-, trans-, trans-2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-dioxane-2,5-dimethanol, dihydroxyacetone (dimeric form), tsw-00176, cs-w013231.
Can Dihydroxyacetone dimer be labeled natural?
Nature occurrence: Not yet found in nature (provisional).
Nature occurrence has not been settled for this substance, so the natural or artificial class is not stated here. The FEMA GRAS status does not depend on it.
Regulatory status, with citations
United States
Dihydroxyacetone dimer is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4033. 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 Dihydroxyacetone dimer. 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 1716.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, caramel, fruity, syrupy.
Taste: Sweet, rich, caramelized.
Where it is used
Dihydroxyacetone dimer is used in beverage, confection, desserts and flavoring agents, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Dihydroxyacetone dimer by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glycerin | 2525 | 95% | In nature |
| 1,3-Propanediol | 4753 | 91% | In nature |
| 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid | 3843 | 88% | In nature |
| D-Sorbitol | 3029 | 83% | In nature |
| D-Xylose | 3606 | 63% | In nature |
More ketones in this index
Acetoin propyleneglycol ketal · 9-Decen-2-one · 2-Methylcyclohexanone · 3-(4-Hydroxy-phenyl)-1-(2,4,6-trihydroxy-phenyl)-propan-1-one · 4-Methyl-3-penten-2-one · 4-(p-Acetoxyphenyl)-2-butanone
Dihydroxyacetone dimer FAQ
Does dihydroxyacetone dimer have FEMA GRAS status?
Dihydroxyacetone dimer holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4033. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite dihydroxyacetone dimer by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite dihydroxyacetone dimer as FEMA 4033 or CAS 62147-49-3; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does dihydroxyacetone dimer smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of dihydroxyacetone dimer is sweet, caramel, fruity, syrupy. On the palate it is sweet, rich, caramelized. Typical uses are beverage, confection, desserts and flavoring agents.
What did JECFA conclude about dihydroxyacetone dimer?
JECFA evaluated dihydroxyacetone dimer under JECFA number 1716.
Is dihydroxyacetone dimer approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for dihydroxyacetone dimer. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1716), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
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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 DIHYDROXYACETONE (DIMER) under CAS 62147-49-3 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.