Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Glutamyl-valyl-glycine
Glutamyl-valyl-glycine is a peptide in the savory family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4709 (CAS 38837-70-6). Its odor is umami, savory, brothy, meaty.
- FEMA
- 4709
- CAS
- 38837-70-6
- JECFA
- 2123
- EU FL
- 17.038
- Formula
- C12H21N3O6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 25. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 38837-70-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: kokumi peptide, glu-val-gly, l-glutamyl-l-valyl-glycine, (4s)-4-amino-5-[[(2s)-1-(carboxymethylamino)-3-methyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl]amino]-5-oxopentanoic acid.
Can Glutamyl-valyl-glycine 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
Glutamyl-valyl-glycine is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4709. 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 17.038, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list. The entry carries use restrictions.
Use restrictions. Restrictions for use as a flavouring substance: In category 1 - not more than 50 mg/kg In categories 2 and 5 - not more than 60 mg/kg In category 6.3, breakfast cereals - not more than 160 mg/kg In category 7.2 - not more than 60 mg/kg In category 8 - not more than 45 mg/kg In category 12 - not more than 160 mg/kg In category 14.1 - not more than 15 mg/kg In category 15 - not more than 160 mg/kg
Purity. 5-oxo-L-prolyl-L-valyl-glycine (PCA-Val-Gly) and L-alpha-glutamyl-L-valyl-glycine less than 0,7 %, L-gamma-glutamyl-L-valyl-L-valyl-glycine less than 2,0 %, Toluene not detectable (l.o.d. 10 mg/kg)
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2123.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Umami, savory, brothy, meaty.
Where it is used
Glutamyl-valyl-glycine is used in sauces, seasonings, snack foods and meat products, typically as a savory note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Glutamyl-valyl-glycine by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine | 4712 | 78% | Not determined |
| L-Methionylglycine | 4692 | 76% | Not determined |
| N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)galactonamide | 4254 | 69% | In nature |
| Nonanoyl 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylamide | 2787 | 63% | In nature |
| Capsaicin | 3404 | 63% | In nature |
Glutamyl-valyl-glycine FAQ
Is glutamyl-valyl-glycine on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 4709 covers glutamyl-valyl-glycine. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for glutamyl-valyl-glycine?
The FEMA number for glutamyl-valyl-glycine is 4709 and its CAS registry number is 38837-70-6. Its flavor category is savory.
What is glutamyl-valyl-glycine used for?
Glutamyl-valyl-glycine is described as umami, savory, brothy, meaty. It shows up in sauces, seasonings, snack foods and meat products.
What did JECFA conclude about glutamyl-valyl-glycine?
JECFA evaluated glutamyl-valyl-glycine under JECFA number 2123.
Is glutamyl-valyl-glycine approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 17.038 is the Union List entry for glutamyl-valyl-glycine, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list. Its entry carries use restrictions, listed on this page.
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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-GLUTAMYL-VALYL-GLYCINE under CAS 38837-70-6 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.