Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Ethyl 3-octenoate
Ethyl 3-octenoate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4361 (CAS 1117-65-3).
- FEMA
- 4361
- CAS
- 1117-65-3
- JECFA
- 1632
- EU FL
- 09.377
- Formula
- C10H18O2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 23. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 1117-65-3.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 3-Octenoic acid, ethyl ester, Ethyl oct-3-enoate, ethyl oct-3-enoate, 3-octenoic acid, ethyl ester, ethyl 3-octenoic acid, ethyl oct-3-enoic acid, ethyl (z)-3-octenoate.
Can Ethyl 3-octenoate be labeled natural?
Nature makes ethyl 3-octenoate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial ethyl 3-octenoate, 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
Ethyl 3-octenoate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4361. 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 09.377, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1632, evaluated at the 64th meeting in 2005. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Taste: Sweet, fruity, vibrant.
Where it is used
Ethyl 3-octenoate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, ice cream and bakery, typically as a fruity note.
More esters in this index
Butyl hexanoate · Benzyl cinnamate · 6-Hydroxydihydrotheaspirane · Isoamyl propionate · alpha-Methylbenzyl acetate · Propyl 2,4-decadienoate
Ethyl 3-octenoate FAQ
Is ethyl 3-octenoate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 4361 covers ethyl 3-octenoate. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for ethyl 3-octenoate?
The FEMA number for ethyl 3-octenoate is 4361 and its CAS registry number is 1117-65-3. Its flavor category is fruity.
What did JECFA conclude about ethyl 3-octenoate?
JECFA evaluated ethyl 3-octenoate at the 64th meeting in 2005 under JECFA number 1632. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is ethyl 3-octenoate approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 09.377 is the Union List entry for ethyl 3-octenoate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is ethyl 3-octenoate natural or artificial?
The process decides for ethyl 3-octenoate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic ethyl 3-octenoate 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 ETHYL 3-OCTENOATE under CAS 1117-65-3 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.