Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Glycine
Glycine is an amino acid in the sweet family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3287 (CAS 56-40-6). Its odor is sweet, umami, mild, savory.
- FEMA
- 3287
- CAS
- 56-40-6
- JECFA
- 1421
- EU FL
- 17.034
- Formula
- C2H5NO2
- EC
- 200-272-2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 5. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 56-40-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Acetic acid, amino-, Aminoacetic acid, Aminoethanoic acid, Glycocoll, Glycolixir, Glycosthene, Aciport, Glicoamin, Padil, 2-Aminoacetic acid, Gyn-Hydralin, NSC 25936.
Can Glycine be labeled natural?
The process decides for glycine. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic glycine is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic glycine identical-to-natural.
- 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
Glycine is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3287. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.320 and 21 CFR 172.812.
European Union and United Kingdom
Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 17.034, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1421, evaluated at the 63rd meeting in 2004. 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. Glycine appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 56-40-6, where EPA names it Glycine.
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 regulatory flags
| Flag | EPA definition | What it obliges |
|---|---|---|
| TP | Indicates a substance that is the subject of a proposed TSCA section 4 test rule or order. | Nothing yet. Worth tracking, because a final rule carries testing obligations and a lower reporting threshold. |
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, umami, mild, savory.
Taste: Sweet, umami, mild.
Where it is used
Glycine is used in beverage, savory dishes, snacks and seasonings, typically as a sweet note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 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-Alanine | 3818 | 94% | In nature |
| Lactic acid | 2611 | 93% | In nature |
| Propionic acid | 2924 | 89% | In nature |
| Pyruvic acid | 2970 | 86% | In nature |
| 1-Amino-2-propanol | 3965 | 84% | In nature |
More amino acids in this index
L-Phenylalanine · L-Alanine · L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine · DL-Phenylalanine · Alanine · L-Threonine
Glycine FAQ
Is glycine on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3287 covers glycine. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.320 and 21 CFR 172.812.
What is the FEMA number for glycine?
The FEMA number for glycine is 3287 and its CAS registry number is 56-40-6. Its flavor category is sweet.
What is glycine used for?
Glycine is described as sweet, umami, mild, savory. On the palate it is sweet, umami, mild. It shows up in beverage, savory dishes, snacks and seasonings.
What did JECFA conclude about glycine?
JECFA evaluated glycine at the 63rd meeting in 2004 under JECFA number 1421. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is glycine approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 17.034 is the Union List entry for glycine, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is glycine natural or artificial?
Nature makes glycine, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial glycine, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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 GLYCINE under CAS 56-40-6 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 flavor enhancer, flavoring agent or adjuvant, nutrient supplement.
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.