Flavor ingredient regulatory record
(E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate
(E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4135 (CAS 85554-72-9). Its odor is sweet, fruity, green, apple, tropical.
- FEMA
- 4135
- CAS
- 85554-72-9
- JECFA
- 1796
- EU FL
- 09.841
- Formula
- C14H26O2
- EC
- 287-605-5
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 85554-72-9.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Octanoic acid, 2-hexenyl ester, (E)-, 2-hexenyl octanoate, 2-hexenyl octanoate, (e)-, octanoic acid, 2-hexenyl ester, (e)-, (2e)-hex-2-en-1-yl octanoate, 2-hexenyl octanoate [fhfi], 2-hexenyl octanoate, trans-, we 6:1(2e)/8:0, [(e)-hex-2-enyl] octanoate, (2e)-2-hexenyl octanoate, trans-2-hexenyl n-octanoate, 2-hexenyl ester(e)-octanoic acid.
Can (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate be labeled natural?
The process decides for (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate is artificial. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
- 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-Hexenyl octanoate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4135. 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 09.841, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1796, 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, fruity, green, apple, tropical.
Where it is used
(E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, ice cream and baked goods, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| n-Amyl octanoate | 2079 | 89% | In nature |
| trans-2-Octen-1-yl butanoate | 3517 | 89% | In nature |
| Butyl laurate | 2206 | 88% | In nature |
| 1-Octanol | 2800 | 77% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Geranyl formate · Phenyl salicylate · 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester · n-Amyl octanoate · Rhodinyl butyrate · Phenethyl cinnamate
(E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate FAQ
Does (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate have FEMA GRAS status?
(E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4135. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate as FEMA 4135 or CAS 85554-72-9; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate is sweet, fruity, green, apple, tropical. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors, ice cream and baked goods.
What did JECFA conclude about (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate?
JECFA evaluated (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate at the 69th meeting in 2008 under JECFA number 1796. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Can (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 09.841 is the Union List entry for (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate be labeled a natural flavor?
Nature makes (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic (E)-2-Hexenyl octanoate identical-to-natural.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
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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 2-HEXENYL OCTANOATE under CAS 85554-72-9 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.