Flavor ingredient regulatory record
gamma-Heptalactone
gamma-Heptalactone is a lactone in the sweet family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2539 (CAS 105-21-5). Its odor is sweet, coconut, nutty, caramellic.
- FEMA
- 2539
- CAS
- 105-21-5
- JECFA
- 225
- EU FL
- 10.020
- Formula
- C7H12O2
- EC
- 203-279-9
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 105-21-5.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2(3H)-Furanone, dihydro-5-propyl-, Heptanoic acid, 4-hydroxy-, γ-lactone, Enanthic acid, γ-hydroxy-, lactone, Dihydro-5-propyl-2(3H)-furanone, γ-Heptalactone, γ-Propiobutyrolactone, 4-Hydroxyheptanoic acid lactone, γ-Heptanolactone, γ-Propyl-γ-butyrolactone, 4-Propyl-4-butanolide, Tetrahydro-5-propyl-2-furanone, 4-Heptanolide.
Can gamma-Heptalactone be labeled natural?
The process decides for gamma-Heptalactone. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic gamma-Heptalactone 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
gamma-Heptalactone is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2539. 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 10.020, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 225, evaluated at the 49th meeting in 1997. 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. gamma-Heptalactone appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 105-21-5, where EPA names it 2(3H)-Furanone, dihydro-5-propyl-.
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, coconut, nutty, caramellic.
Taste: Sweet, coconut, nut-like.
Where it is used
gamma-Heptalactone is used in coconut, nut flavors and caramel, typically as a sweet note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to gamma-Heptalactone by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| delta-Octalactone | 3214 | 85% | Not determined |
| gamma-Nonalactone | 2781 | 83% | In nature |
| gamma-Valerolactone | 3103 | 65% | In nature |
| Propyl acetate | 2925 | 60% | In nature |
| 4-Hydroxy-3-methyloctanoic acid gamma-lactone | 3803 | 58% | In nature |
More lactones in this index
gamma-Dodecalactone · 4-Hydroxy-3-methyloctanoic acid gamma-lactone · Phthalide · gamma-Valerolactone · delta-Octalactone · 5-Hydroxyundecanoic acid lactone
gamma-Heptalactone FAQ
Does gamma-Heptalactone have FEMA GRAS status?
gamma-Heptalactone holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 2539. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite gamma-Heptalactone by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite gamma-Heptalactone as FEMA 2539 or CAS 105-21-5; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is sweet.
What does gamma-Heptalactone smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of gamma-Heptalactone is sweet, coconut, nutty, caramellic. On the palate it is sweet, coconut, nut-like. Typical uses are coconut, nut flavors and caramel.
What did JECFA conclude about gamma-Heptalactone?
JECFA evaluated gamma-Heptalactone at the 49th meeting in 1997 under JECFA number 225. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Can gamma-Heptalactone be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 10.020 is the Union List entry for gamma-Heptalactone, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can gamma-Heptalactone be labeled a natural flavor?
Nature makes gamma-Heptalactone, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial gamma-Heptalactone, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic gamma-Heptalactone 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 GAMMA-HEPTALACTONE under CAS 105-21-5 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.