Flavor ingredient regulatory record
(E)-2-Decenoic acid
(E)-2-Decenoic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3913 (CAS 3913-85-7). Its odor is fruity, waxy, fatty, green.
- FEMA
- 3913
- CAS
- 3913-85-7
- JECFA
- 1372
- EU FL
- 08.073
- Formula
- C10H18O2
- EC
- 223-475-8
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 19. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 334-49-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2-Decenoic acid, Δ2-Decenoic acid, NSC 62120, 2-decenoic acid, dec-2-enoic acid, cis-2-decenoic acid,cda, (z)-2-decanoic acid, decaenoic acid, db-048407, db-254372.
Can (E)-2-Decenoic acid be labeled natural?
Nature makes (E)-2-Decenoic acid, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial (E)-2-Decenoic acid, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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
(E)-2-Decenoic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3913. 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 08.073, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1372, 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: Fruity, waxy, fatty, green.
Taste: Sour, fruity, fatty.
Where it is used
(E)-2-Decenoic acid is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to (E)-2-Decenoic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Decenoic Acid | 3914 | 97% | In nature |
| 5&6-Decenoic acid | 3742 | 95% | In nature |
| Nonanoic acid | 2784 | 90% | In nature |
| trans-4-Octenoic acid | 4357 | 86% | In nature |
| Decanoic acid | 2364 | 85% | In nature |
More acids in this index
Isovaleric acid · 4-Methylnonanoic acid · 3-Methoxybenzoic acid · 2-Methyl-2-pentenoic acid · Decanedioic acid · (E,Z)-4-Methylpent-2-enoic acid
(E)-2-Decenoic acid FAQ
Does (E)-2-Decenoic acid have FEMA GRAS status?
(E)-2-Decenoic acid holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3913. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite (E)-2-Decenoic acid by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite (E)-2-Decenoic acid as FEMA 3913 or CAS 3913-85-7; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does (E)-2-Decenoic acid smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of (E)-2-Decenoic acid is fruity, waxy, fatty, green. On the palate it is sour, fruity, fatty. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors and savory dishes.
What did JECFA conclude about (E)-2-Decenoic acid?
JECFA evaluated (E)-2-Decenoic acid at the 69th meeting in 2008 under JECFA number 1372. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Can (E)-2-Decenoic acid be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 08.073 is the Union List entry for (E)-2-Decenoic acid, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can (E)-2-Decenoic acid be labeled a natural flavor?
The process decides for (E)-2-Decenoic acid. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic (E)-2-Decenoic acid is artificial. 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 (E)-2-DECENOIC ACID under CAS 334-49-6 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.