Flavor ingredient regulatory record
L-Aspartic acid
L-Aspartic acid is an acid in the savory family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3656 (CAS 56-84-8). Its odor is umami, savory, slightly sweet, meaty.
- FEMA
- 3656
- CAS
- 56-84-8
- JECFA
- 1429
- EU FL
- 17.005
- Formula
- C4H7NO4
- EC
- 200-291-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 13. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 56-84-8.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Aspartic acid, L-, L-Aminosuccinic acid, Asparagic acid, Asparaginic acid, Butanedioic acid, amino-, (S)-, Aspartic acid, L-Asparaginic acid, (S)-Aspartic acid, L-Asparagic acid, L-(+)-Aspartic acid, (S)-Aminobutanedioic acid, (+)-Aspartic acid.
Can L-Aspartic acid be labeled natural?
L-Aspartic acid occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: L-Aspartic acid won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized L-Aspartic acid is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic L-Aspartic acid 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
L-Aspartic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3656. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.320.
European Union and United Kingdom
Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 17.005, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1429, 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. L-Aspartic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 56-84-8, where EPA names it L-Aspartic acid.
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: Umami, savory, slightly sweet, meaty.
Taste: Savory, umami, slightly acidic.
Where it is used
L-Aspartic acid is used in seasoning, sauces, snacks and meat products, typically as a savory note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to L-Aspartic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| L-Malic Acid | 2655 | 95% | In nature |
| 4-Aminobutyric acid | 4288 | 85% | In nature |
| Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- | 3044 | 84% | In nature |
| Succinic acid | 4719 | 83% | In nature |
| Fumaric acid | 2488 | 80% | In nature |
More acids in this index
Sodium diacetate · 4-Aminobutyric acid · Disodium succinate · l-Glutamic acid · N-Acetyl glutamate · Hept-2-enoic acid
L-Aspartic acid FAQ
Is L-Aspartic acid on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3656 covers L-Aspartic acid. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.320.
What is the FEMA number for L-Aspartic acid?
The FEMA number for L-Aspartic acid is 3656 and its CAS registry number is 56-84-8. FEMA files it in the savory flavor category.
Is L-Aspartic acid natural or artificial?
Since L-Aspartic acid is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when L-Aspartic acid is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic L-Aspartic acid identical-to-natural.
Is L-Aspartic acid approved in the EU?
L-Aspartic acid is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 17.005 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated L-Aspartic acid?
Yes. JECFA number 1429, evaluated at the 63rd meeting in 2004. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is L-Aspartic acid used for?
L-Aspartic acid is described as umami, savory, slightly sweet, meaty. On the palate it is savory, umami, slightly acidic. It shows up in seasoning, sauces, snacks and meat products.
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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 L-ASPARTIC ACID under CAS 56-84-8 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 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.