Flavor ingredient regulatory record
(E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid
(E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3921 (CAS 110-44-1). Its odor is fruity, green, sour, pungent.
- FEMA
- 3921
- CAS
- 110-44-1
- JECFA
- 1176
- EU FL
- 08.085
- Formula
- C6H8O2
- EC
- 203-768-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 19. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 110-44-1.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2,4-Hexadienoic acid, (2E,4E)-, Sorbic acid, 2,4-Hexadienoic acid, (E,E)-, (2E,4E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid, (E,E)-1,3-Pentadiene-1-carboxylic acid, Sorbistat, trans,trans-Sorbic acid, α-trans-γ-trans-Sorbic acid, trans,trans-2,4-Hexadienoic acid, Panosorb, E 200, 2E,4E-Hexadienoic acid.
Can (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid be labeled natural?
Nature makes (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic 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,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3921. 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 08.085, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1176, 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.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 110-44-1, where EPA names it 2,4-Hexadienoic acid, (2E,4E)-.
Active in US commerce
EPA designates this substance active, so no Notice of Activity Form B is required before manufacturing. What active and inactive mean.
EPA publishes no regulatory flags on this listing. What the flags mean.
From the EPA non-confidential TSCA Inventory, July 2026 release. EPA also maintains a confidential portion it does not publish. Search the Inventory by CAS number.
Odor and taste
Odor: Fruity, green, sour, pungent.
Where it is used
(E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic 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,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic 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-Hexenoic acid | 3170 | 97% | In nature |
| cis-3-Hexenoic acid | 4493 | 97% | In nature |
| Hexanoic acid | 2559 | 89% | In nature |
| 2,4-Hexadien-1-ol | 3922 | 86% | In nature |
| (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienal | 3429 | 77% | In nature |
More acids in this index
4-Methyloctanoic acid · Hept-2-enoic acid · 3-Hydroxy-2-oxopropionic acid · Mixture of Ricinoleic acid, Linoleic acid, and Oleic acid · Cyclohexylacetic acid · Valeric acid
(E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid FAQ
Is (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid as GRAS under FEMA number 3921. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid?
(E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid is FEMA 3921, CAS 110-44-1. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid as fruity, green, sour, pungent. It is used in beverage, sauces, condiments and fruit flavors.
What did JECFA conclude about (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid?
JECFA evaluated (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid at the 69th meeting in 2008 under JECFA number 1176. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 08.085 is the Union List entry for (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienoic acid 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 SORBIC ACID under CAS 110-44-1 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number and its 21 CFR citations. 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.