Flavor ingredient regulatory record
(E,Z)-Phytyl acetate
(E,Z)-Phytyl acetate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4197 (CAS 10236-16-5). Its odor is sweet, fruity, green, floral.
- FEMA
- 4197
- CAS
- 10236-16-5
- JECFA
- 1833
- EU FL
- 09.691
- Formula
- C22H42O2
- EC
- 233-565-9
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 10236-16-5.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2-Hexadecen-1-ol, 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-, 1-acetate, (2E,7R,11R)-, 2-Hexadecen-1-ol, 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-, acetate, [R-[R*,R*-(E)]]-, 2-Hexadecen-1-ol, 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-, acetate, (2E,7R,11R)-, Phytol, acetate, Phytol acetate, (7R,11R)-trans-Phytol acetate, Phytyl acetate, trans-Phytyl acetate, (E,R,R)-Phytyl acetate, phytyl acetate, 2-hexadecen-1-ol, 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-, 1-acetate, (2e,7r,11r)-, [(e,7r,11r)-3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadec-2-enyl] acetate.
Can (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate be labeled natural?
Nature makes (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate 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,Z)-Phytyl acetate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4197. 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 09.691, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1833, 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,Z)-Phytyl acetate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 10236-16-5, where EPA names it 2-Hexadecen-1-ol, 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-, 1-acetate, (2E,7R,11R)-.
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: Sweet, fruity, green, floral.
Where it is used
(E,Z)-Phytyl acetate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and aromatherapy, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isoamyl laurate | 2077 | 88% | In nature |
| 2,6,10-Trimethyl-2,6,10-pentadecatrien-14-one | 3442 | 87% | In nature |
| (E,Z)-Phytol | 4196 | 86% | In nature |
More esters in this index
3-n-Butylphthalide · Methyl anisate · cis-Hexenyl tiglate · 6-[5(6)-Decenoyloxy]decanoic acid · Methyl N-methylanthranilate · 3-Oxododecanoic acid glyceride
(E,Z)-Phytyl acetate FAQ
Is (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate as GRAS under FEMA number 4197. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate?
(E,Z)-Phytyl acetate is FEMA 4197, CAS 10236-16-5. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate as sweet, fruity, green, floral. It is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and aromatherapy.
What did JECFA conclude about (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate?
JECFA evaluated (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate at the 69th meeting in 2008 under JECFA number 1833. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 09.691 is the Union List entry for (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic (E,Z)-Phytyl acetate 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 PHYTYL ACETATE under CAS 10236-16-5 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.