Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Diphenyl
Diphenyl is a phenol in the woody family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3129 (CAS 92-52-4). Its odor is sweet, woody, balsamic, resinous, earthy.
- FEMA
- 3129
- CAS
- 92-52-4
- JECFA
- 1332
- Formula
- C12H10
- EC
- 202-163-5
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 4. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 92-52-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 1,1′-Biphenyl, Biphenyl, Phenylbenzene, Bibenzene, 1,1′-Diphenyl, Tetrosin LY, Carolid AL, NSC 14916, biphenyl, 1,1'-biphenyl, phenylbenzene, bibenzene.
Can Diphenyl be labeled natural?
Nature makes diphenyl, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial diphenyl, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic diphenyl 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
Diphenyl is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3129. 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 Diphenyl. 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 1332.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Diphenyl appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 92-52-4, where EPA names it 1,1'-Biphenyl.
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, woody, balsamic, resinous, earthy.
Where it is used
Diphenyl is used in beverage, confection, flavoring agents, fragrance and aromatic compounds, typically as a woody note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Diphenyl by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diphenyl ether | 3667 | 85% | In nature |
| 4-Methyl-1,1'-biphenyl | 3186 | 84% | In nature |
| Phenyl disulfide | 3225 | 74% | In nature |
| Dibenzyl ether | 2371 | 71% | In nature |
| 1,3-Diphenyl-2-propanone | 2397 | 63% | In nature |
More phenols in this index
Diphenyl ether · 3,4-Xylenol · 2,6-Xylenol · o-Propylphenol · p-Propylphenol · 4-(1,1-Dimethylethyl)phenol
Diphenyl FAQ
Is diphenyl FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists diphenyl as GRAS under FEMA number 3129. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for diphenyl?
Diphenyl is FEMA 3129, CAS 92-52-4. Its flavor category is woody.
How is diphenyl described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe diphenyl as sweet, woody, balsamic, resinous, earthy. It is used in beverage, confection, flavoring agents, fragrance and aromatic compounds.
What did JECFA conclude about diphenyl?
JECFA evaluated diphenyl under JECFA number 1332.
Is diphenyl approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for diphenyl. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1332), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Does diphenyl count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for diphenyl. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic diphenyl is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic diphenyl 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 BIPHENYL under CAS 92-52-4 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 flavor enhancer, 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.