Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate
Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4459 (CAS 29214-60-6). Its odor is sweet, fruity, tropical, peach, creamy.
- FEMA
- 4459
- CAS
- 29214-60-6
- JECFA
- 1958
- Formula
- C12H22O3
- EC
- 249-518-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 29214-60-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Octanoic acid, 2-acetyl-, ethyl ester, Ethyl α-hexylacetoacetate, Ethyl 2-acetylcaprylate, Ethyl 2-n-hexyl-2-acetoacetate, Gelsone, 2-Acetyloctanoic acid ethyl ester, ethyl 2-acetylcaprylate, octanoic acid, 2-acetyl-, ethyl ester, jasmin acetoacetate, n-hexylethyl acetaoacetate, ethyl-2-hexyl acetoacetate, ethyl-2-hexyl acetaoacetate.
Can Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate be labeled natural?
Nature occurrence: Not yet found in nature (provisional).
Nature occurrence has not been settled for this substance, so the natural or artificial class is not stated here. The FEMA GRAS status does not depend on it.
Regulatory status, with citations
United States
Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4459. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
No EU FL number is on file for Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate. That is not a finding either way. The Union List covers defined flavouring substances, so natural complex materials are handled as flavouring preparations under Parts B to F and never receive a number, and substances used as additives sit under Regulation 1333/2008 instead. Confirm the position before EU or UK use.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1958.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 29214-60-6, where EPA names it Octanoic acid, 2-acetyl-, ethyl ester.
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, tropical, peach, creamy.
Where it is used
Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and dairy, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Octyl butyrate | 4402 | 85% | Not determined |
More esters in this index
Isoamyl 3-(2-furan)propionate · Isobutyl acetate · Ethyl 3-phenyl-2,3-epoxypropionate · Ethyl acrylate · Rhodinyl isovalerate · Methyl 3-(methylthio)butanoate
Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate FAQ
Does ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate have FEMA GRAS status?
Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4459. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate as FEMA 4459 or CAS 29214-60-6; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate is sweet, fruity, tropical, peach, creamy. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and dairy.
What did JECFA conclude about ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate?
JECFA evaluated ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate under JECFA number 1958.
Is ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1958), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
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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-ACETYLOCTANOATE under CAS 29214-60-6 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.