Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Divanillin
Divanillin is an aldehyde in the vanilla family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4107 (CAS 2092-49-1). Its odor is sweet, creamy, vanilla, warm, rich.
- FEMA
- 4107
- CAS
- 2092-49-1
- JECFA
- 1881
- EU FL
- 05.221
- Formula
- C16H14O6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 2092-49-1.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: [1,1′-Biphenyl]-3,3′-dicarboxaldehyde, 6,6′-dihydroxy-5,5′-dimethoxy-, 3,3′-Biphenyldicarboxaldehyde, 6,6′-dihydroxy-5,5′-dimethoxy-, 6,6′-Dihydroxy-5,5′-dimethoxy[1,1′-biphenyl]-3,3′-dicarboxaldehyde, 5,5′-Bivanillin, Dehydrodivanillin, 2,2′-Dihydroxy-3,3′-dimethoxy-5,5′-diformylbiphenyl, NSC 16723, 5,5′-Diformyl-3,3′-Dimethoxy-1,1′-biphenyl-2,2′-diol, Bivanillin, 5,5′-Bisvanillin, dehydrodivanillin, 5,5'-bivanillin.
Can Divanillin 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
Divanillin is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4107. 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 05.221, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1881, 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: Sweet, creamy, vanilla, warm, rich.
Taste: Sweet, smooth, vanilla.
Where it is used
Divanillin is used in baked goods, confectionery, beverages and ice cream, typically as a vanilla note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Divanillin by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl vanillin isobutyrate | 3837 | 69% | In nature |
| Magnolol | 4559 | 68% | In nature |
| Vanillin erythro- & threo-butan-2,3-diol acetal | 4023 | 65% | Not determined |
| Isoeugenyl benzyl ether | 3698 | 64% | Not determined |
| Eugenyl benzoate | 2471 | 64% | In nature |
More aldehydes in this index
Ethyl vanillin · Vanillin · Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal · 3-Phenylpropionaldehyde · (2E, 4E)-undeca-2,4-dienal · 6-Methylheptanal
Divanillin FAQ
Is divanillin FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists divanillin as GRAS under FEMA number 4107. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for divanillin?
Divanillin is FEMA 4107, CAS 2092-49-1. Its flavor category is vanilla.
How is divanillin described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe divanillin as sweet, creamy, vanilla, warm, rich. On the palate it is sweet, smooth, vanilla. It is used in baked goods, confectionery, beverages and ice cream.
What did JECFA conclude about divanillin?
JECFA evaluated divanillin at the 69th meeting in 2008 under JECFA number 1881. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is divanillin on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 05.221 is the Union List entry for divanillin, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
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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 DIVANILLIN under CAS 2092-49-1 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.