Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Ethyl linalyl ether
Ethyl linalyl ether is an ester in the floral family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4591 (CAS 72845-33-1). Its odor is sweet, floral, citrus, herbal, fruity.
- FEMA
- 4591
- CAS
- 72845-33-1
- JECFA
- 2134
- Formula
- C12H22O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 72845-33-1.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 1,6-Octadiene, 3-ethoxy-3,7-dimethyl-, Ether, 1,5-dimethyl-1-vinyl-4-hexenyl ethyl, 3-Ethoxy-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene, 3,7-Dimethyl-3-ethoxy-1,6-octadiene, Linalool ethyl ether, Linalyl ethyl ether, 3-ethoxy-3,7-dimethylocta-1,6-diene, 3-ethoxy-3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadiene, linalyl ethyl ether, 1,6-octadiene, 3-ethoxy-3,7-dimethyl-, linalool ethyl ether, ethyl linalyl ether, (+/)-.
Can Ethyl linalyl ether 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 linalyl ether is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4591. 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 linalyl ether. 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 2134, evaluated at the 76th meeting in 2012. 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. Ethyl linalyl ether appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 72845-33-1, where EPA names it 1,6-Octadiene, 3-ethoxy-3,7-dimethyl-.
Inactive in US commerce
EPA designates this substance inactive, so a Notice of Activity Form B is required before anyone manufactures or processes it again. Being FEMA GRAS does not change that. 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, floral, citrus, herbal, fruity.
Taste: Sweet, floral, slightly citrus.
Where it is used
Ethyl linalyl ether is used in beverage, fragrance, confection, bakery and personal care, typically as a floral note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Ethyl linalyl ether by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linalool | 2635 | 76% | In nature |
| Nerolidol | 2772 | 74% | In nature |
| Farnesene | 3839 | 72% | In nature |
| d-Limonene | 2633 | 70% | In nature |
| beta-Bisabolene | 4940 | 69% | In nature |
More esters in this index
(Z)-Hex-3-enyl salicylate · Eugenyl benzoate · Linalyl anthranilate · Phenethyl acetate · Benzyl salicylate · Citronellyl formate
Ethyl linalyl ether FAQ
Does ethyl linalyl ether have FEMA GRAS status?
Ethyl linalyl ether holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4591. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite ethyl linalyl ether by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite ethyl linalyl ether as FEMA 4591 or CAS 72845-33-1; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is floral.
What does ethyl linalyl ether smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of ethyl linalyl ether is sweet, floral, citrus, herbal, fruity. On the palate it is sweet, floral, slightly citrus. Typical uses are beverage, fragrance, confection, bakery and personal care.
What did JECFA conclude about ethyl linalyl ether?
JECFA evaluated ethyl linalyl ether at the 76th meeting in 2012 under JECFA number 2134. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is ethyl linalyl ether approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for ethyl linalyl ether. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2134), 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 LINALYL ETHER under CAS 72845-33-1 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.