Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid
Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4660 (CAS 55-10-7). Its odor is sweet, fruity, berry, floral.
- FEMA
- 4660
- CAS
- 55-10-7
- JECFA
- 2020
- EU FL
- 08.134
- Formula
- C9H10O5
- EC
- 200-224-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 55-10-7.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzeneacetic acid, α,4-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-, Mandelic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-, α,4-Dihydroxy-3-methoxybenzeneacetic acid, HMMA, 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid, Vanillomandelic acid, Vanillylmandelic acid, Vanilmandelic acid, VMA, Vanillinmandelic acid, (4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)glycolic acid, 3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylhydroxyacetic acid.
Can Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid be labeled natural?
Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid 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
Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4660. 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 08.134, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2020, evaluated at the 73rd meeting in 2010. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 55-10-7, where EPA names it Benzeneacetic acid, .alpha.,4-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-.
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, fruity, berry, floral.
Taste: Sour, fruity, tart.
Where it is used
Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and sauces, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propyl Gallate | 2947 | 62% | In nature |
| Methyl P-Hydroxybenzoate | 2710 | 61% | In nature |
| 4-Methoxybenzoic acid | 3945 | 61% | In nature |
| D-Sorbitol | 3029 | 57% | In nature |
| Dihydroxyacetone dimer | 4033 | 57% | Not determined |
More acids in this index
2,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid · 4-Methylpentanoic acid · 3-Hexenoic acid · 3-Isopropenylpentanedioic acid · Mixture of Ricinoleic acid, Linoleic acid, and Oleic acid · (E,Z)-4-Methylpent-2-enoic acid
Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid FAQ
Does Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid have FEMA GRAS status?
Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4660. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid as FEMA 4660 or CAS 55-10-7; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Can Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid be labeled a natural flavor?
Since Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid is synthesized. 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.
Can Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid be used in the EU and UK?
Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.134 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid?
Yes. JECFA number 2020, evaluated at the 73rd meeting in 2010. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
What does Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of Hydroxy(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)acetic acid is sweet, fruity, berry, floral. On the palate it is sour, fruity, tart. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors and sauces.
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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 HYDROXY(4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXYPHENYL)ACETIC ACID under CAS 55-10-7 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.