Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Heptyl octanoate
Heptyl octanoate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2553 (CAS 4265-97-8). Its odor is sweet, fruity, tropical, peach, pineapple.
- FEMA
- 2553
- CAS
- 4265-97-8
- JECFA
- 176
- EU FL
- 09.118
- Formula
- C15H30O2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 4265-97-8.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Octanoic acid, heptyl ester, Caprylic acid, heptyl ester, Heptyl caprylate, NSC 23958, heptyl caprylate, octanoic acid, heptyl ester, heptyl octylate, n-heptyl n-octanoate, octanoic acid heptyl ester, ai3-31018, n-heptyl octanoate [fhfi].
Can Heptyl octanoate be labeled natural?
Nature makes heptyl octanoate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial heptyl octanoate, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic heptyl octanoate 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
Heptyl octanoate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2553. 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 09.118, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 176, evaluated at the 55th meeting in 2000. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, fruity, tropical, peach, pineapple.
Where it is used
Heptyl octanoate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and ice cream, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Heptyl octanoate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Octyl octanoate | 2811 | 99% | In nature |
| Heptyl heptanoate | 4341 | 99% | In nature |
| Butyl laurate | 2206 | 97% | In nature |
| Dodecyl butyrate | 4340 | 97% | In nature |
| n-Amyl octanoate | 2079 | 96% | In nature |
More esters in this index
cis-Hexenyl tiglate · Cinnamyl formate · Pinocarvyl acetate · Furfuryl octanoate · Citronellyl anthranilate · alpha-Terpinyl acetate
Heptyl octanoate FAQ
Is heptyl octanoate FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists heptyl octanoate as GRAS under FEMA number 2553. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for heptyl octanoate?
Heptyl octanoate is FEMA 2553, CAS 4265-97-8. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is heptyl octanoate described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe heptyl octanoate as sweet, fruity, tropical, peach, pineapple. It is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and ice cream.
What did JECFA conclude about heptyl octanoate?
JECFA evaluated heptyl octanoate at the 55th meeting in 2000 under JECFA number 176. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is heptyl octanoate on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 09.118 is the Union List entry for heptyl octanoate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does heptyl octanoate count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for heptyl octanoate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic heptyl octanoate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic heptyl octanoate 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 HEPTYL OCTANOATE under CAS 4265-97-8 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.