Flavor ingredient regulatory record
(E)-2-Pentenoic acid
(E)-2-Pentenoic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4193 (CAS 13991-37-2). Its odor is fruity, sour, green, tangy.
- FEMA
- 4193
- CAS
- 13991-37-2
- JECFA
- 1804
- EU FL
- 08.107
- Formula
- C5H8O2
- EC
- 237-791-9
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 626-98-2.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2-Pentenoic acid, (2E)-, 2-Pentenoic acid, (E)-, (2E)-2-Pentenoic acid, trans-2-Pentenoic acid, (E)-Pent-2-enoic acid, (2E)-Pent-2-enoic acid, trans-2-pentenoic acid, (e)-pent-2-enoic acid, (2e)-pent-2-enoic acid, 2-pentenoic acid, (2e)-, (2e)-2-pentenoic acid, pentenoic acid.
Can (E)-2-Pentenoic acid be labeled natural?
Nature makes (E)-2-Pentenoic acid, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial (E)-2-Pentenoic acid, same molecule. 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-Pentenoic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4193. 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 08.107, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1804, evaluated at the 69th meeting in 2008. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Fruity, sour, green, tangy.
Where it is used
(E)-2-Pentenoic acid is used in beverage, sauces, condiments and fruit flavors, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to (E)-2-Pentenoic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valeric acid | 3101 | 96% | In nature |
| (E,Z)-4-Methylpent-2-enoic acid | 4180 | 92% | In nature |
| 4-Pentenoic acid | 2843 | 92% | In nature |
| Methyl-3-pentenoic acid | 3464 | 91% | In nature |
| 2-Methyl-2-pentenoic acid | 3195 | 91% | In nature |
More acids in this index
o-trans-Coumaric acid · (E)-2-Decenoic acid · 2-Methyl-4-pentenoic acid · 2-Oxobutyric acid · 3-Isopropenyl-6-oxoheptanoic acid · 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid
(E)-2-Pentenoic acid FAQ
Is (E)-2-Pentenoic acid on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 4193 covers (E)-2-Pentenoic acid. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for (E)-2-Pentenoic acid?
The FEMA number for (E)-2-Pentenoic acid is 4193 and its CAS registry number is 13991-37-2. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is (E)-2-Pentenoic acid used for?
(E)-2-Pentenoic acid is described as fruity, sour, green, tangy. It shows up in beverage, sauces, condiments and fruit flavors.
What did JECFA conclude about (E)-2-Pentenoic acid?
JECFA evaluated (E)-2-Pentenoic acid at the 69th meeting in 2008 under JECFA number 1804. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is (E)-2-Pentenoic acid approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 08.107 is the Union List entry for (E)-2-Pentenoic acid, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is (E)-2-Pentenoic acid natural or artificial?
The process decides for (E)-2-Pentenoic acid. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic (E)-2-Pentenoic acid 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.
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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-PENTENOIC ACID under CAS 626-98-2 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.