Flavor ingredient regulatory record
l-fenchone
l-fenchone is a ketone in the herbal family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4519 (CAS 7787-20-4). Its odor is minty, camphoraceous, herbal, woody.
- FEMA
- 4519
- CAS
- 7787-20-4
- JECFA
- 2200
- Formula
- C10H16O
- EC
- 232-107-5
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 7787-20-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, 1,3,3-trimethyl-, (1R,4S)-, 2-Norbornanone, 1,3,3-trimethyl-, (1R,4S)-(-)-, Bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, 1,3,3-trimethyl-, (1R)-, (1R,4S)-1,3,3-Trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, (-)-Fenchone, (1R)-Fenchone, L-(-)-Fenchone, (R)-Fenchone, (1R)-(-)-Fenchone, (R)-(-)-Fenchone, (-)-fenchone, (1r)-(-)-fenchone.
Can l-fenchone be labeled natural?
The process decides for l-fenchone. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic l-fenchone 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
l-fenchone is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4519. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
No EU FL number is on file for l-fenchone. That is not a finding either way. The Union List covers defined flavouring substances, so natural complex materials are handled as flavouring preparations under Parts B to F and never receive a number, and substances used as additives sit under Regulation 1333/2008 instead. Confirm the position before EU or UK use.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2200.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. l-fenchone appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 7787-20-4, where EPA names it Bicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one, 1,3,3-trimethyl-, (1R,4S)-.
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: Minty, camphoraceous, herbal, woody.
Taste: Bitter, cooling, slightly sweet.
Where it is used
l-fenchone is used in beverage, confection, flavoring and cosmetics, typically as a herbal note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to l-fenchone by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| d-Fenchone | 2479 | 100% | In nature |
| Fenchyl alcohol | 2480 | 95% | In nature |
| 2,6,6-Trimethylcyclohexanone | 3473 | 89% | In nature |
| 3-Pinanone | 4198 | 87% | Not determined |
| d-Camphor | 2230 | 79% | In nature |
More ketones in this index
5-Methyl-2-hepten-4-one · 3-Octen-2-one · 3-Methylcyclohexanone · Mixture of 3-Hydroxy-5-methyl-2-hexanone and 2-Hydroxy-5-methyl-3-hexanone · 3,5-Dimethyl-1,2-cyclo-pentanedione · 2-Pentadecanone
l-fenchone FAQ
Does l-fenchone have FEMA GRAS status?
l-fenchone holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4519. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite l-fenchone by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite l-fenchone as FEMA 4519 or CAS 7787-20-4; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is herbal.
What does l-fenchone smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of l-fenchone is minty, camphoraceous, herbal, woody. On the palate it is bitter, cooling, slightly sweet. Typical uses are beverage, confection, flavoring and cosmetics.
What did JECFA conclude about l-fenchone?
JECFA evaluated l-fenchone under JECFA number 2200.
Is l-fenchone approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for l-fenchone. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2200), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Can l-fenchone be labeled a natural flavor?
Nature makes l-fenchone, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial l-fenchone, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic l-fenchone 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 L-FENCHONE under CAS 7787-20-4 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.