Flavor ingredient regulatory record
(E)-2-Octenoic acid
(E)-2-Octenoic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3957 (CAS 1871-67-6). Its odor is fruity, green, waxy, slightly fatty.
- FEMA
- 3957
- CAS
- 1871-67-6
- JECFA
- 1805
- EU FL
- 08.114
- Formula
- C8H14O2
- EC
- 217-491-4
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 19. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 1871-67-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2-Octenoic acid, (2E)-, 2-Octenoic acid, (E)-, (2E)-2-Octenoic acid, trans-2-Octenoic acid, (E)-Oct-2-enoic acid, (2E)-Oct-2-enoic acid, trans-2-octenoic acid, 2-octenoic acid, (2e)-, (2e)-2-octenoic acid, (2e)-oct-2-enoic acid, trans-alpha-octenoic acid, oct-2-enoic acid (e).
Can (E)-2-Octenoic acid be labeled natural?
Nature makes (E)-2-Octenoic acid, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial (E)-2-Octenoic acid, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic (E)-2-Octenoic acid 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-Octenoic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3957. 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 08.114, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1805, 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, green, waxy, slightly fatty.
Where it is used
(E)-2-Octenoic acid is used in beverage, fruit flavors, savory dishes and condiments, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to (E)-2-Octenoic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Octenoic acid | 4362 | 98% | In nature |
| trans-4-Octenoic acid | 4357 | 96% | In nature |
| cis-5-Octenoic acid | 4350 | 94% | In nature |
| 5&6-Decenoic acid | 3742 | 93% | In nature |
| Hept-2-enoic acid | 3920 | 90% | In nature |
More acids in this index
4-Hydroxybenzoic acid · Undecanoic acid · cis-4-(2,2,3-Trimethylcyclopentyl)butanoic acid · 2-Oxo-3-phenylpropionic acid sodium salt · (E)-2-Pentenoic acid · Oleic acid
(E)-2-Octenoic acid FAQ
Is (E)-2-Octenoic acid FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists (E)-2-Octenoic acid as GRAS under FEMA number 3957. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for (E)-2-Octenoic acid?
(E)-2-Octenoic acid is FEMA 3957, CAS 1871-67-6. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is (E)-2-Octenoic acid described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe (E)-2-Octenoic acid as fruity, green, waxy, slightly fatty. It is used in beverage, fruit flavors, savory dishes and condiments.
What did JECFA conclude about (E)-2-Octenoic acid?
JECFA evaluated (E)-2-Octenoic acid at the 69th meeting in 2008 under JECFA number 1805. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is (E)-2-Octenoic acid on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 08.114 is the Union List entry for (E)-2-Octenoic acid, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does (E)-2-Octenoic acid count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for (E)-2-Octenoic acid. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic (E)-2-Octenoic acid is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic (E)-2-Octenoic acid identical-to-natural.
Ingredient lookup
Check an ingredient
Start typing to search the ingredient corpus.
Or browse every ingredient page, A to Z.
Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
Check (E)-2-Octenoic acid in a formula
Screened against FEMA GRAS, 21 CFR and EU rules as you build. Free to start.
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-OCTENOIC ACID under CAS 1871-67-6 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.