Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate
Ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2416 (CAS 620-79-1). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, caramel, estery.
- FEMA
- 2416
- CAS
- 620-79-1
- JECFA
- 835
- EU FL
- 09.501
- Formula
- C13H16O3
- EC
- 210-651-4
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 620-79-1.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzenepropanoic acid, α-acetyl-, ethyl ester, Hydrocinnamic acid, α-acetyl-, ethyl ester, Ethyl α-acetylhydrocinnamate, Ethyl 2-benzylacetoacetate, Ethyl α-benzylacetoacetate, Ethyl 2-benzylacetylacetate, Ethyl 2-benzyl-3-oxobutanoate, Ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropanoate, Ethyl 2-benzyl-3-oxobutyrate, α-Acetylbenzenepropanoic acid ethyl ester, NSC 60581, 2-Benzyl-3-oxobutanoic acid ethyl ester.
Can Ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate be labeled natural?
Ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate 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
Ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2416. 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 09.501, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 835, evaluated at the 57th meeting in 2001. 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, floral, caramel, estery.
Where it is used
Ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl benzoylacetate | 2423 | 82% | In nature |
| Ethyl alpha-acetylcinnamate | 4597 | 79% | Not determined |
| 4-(p-Acetoxyphenyl)-2-butanone | 3652 | 74% | In nature |
| alpha-Methylphenethyl butyrate | 3197 | 74% | In nature |
| Benzyl acetoacetate | 2136 | 74% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Ethyl benzoate · Isoamyl cinnamate · Ethyl 3-(furfurylthio)propionate · Isobutyl salicylate · Phenethyl formate · p-Mentha-1,8-dien-7-yl acetate
Ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate FAQ
Does ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate have FEMA GRAS status?
Ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 2416. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate as FEMA 2416 or CAS 620-79-1; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Can ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate be labeled a natural flavor?
Since ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate is synthesized. 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.
Can ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate be used in the EU and UK?
Ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 09.501 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate?
Yes. JECFA number 835, evaluated at the 57th meeting in 2001. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What does ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of ethyl 2-acetyl-3-phenylpropionate is sweet, fruity, floral, caramel, estery. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and desserts.
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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 ETHYL 2-ACETYL-3-PHENYLPROPIONATE under CAS 620-79-1 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.