Flavor ingredient regulatory record
l-Glutamic acid
l-Glutamic acid is an acid in the savory family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3285 (CAS 56-86-0).
- FEMA
- 3285
- CAS
- 56-86-0
- JECFA
- 1420
- Formula
- C5H9NO4
- EC
- 200-293-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 5. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 56-86-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Glutamic acid, L-, Aciglut, Glusate, Glutacid, α-Glutamic acid, l-Glutaminic acid, Glutaminol, Glutaminic acid, Glutaton, Pentanedioic acid, 2-amino-, (S)-, L-(+)-Glutamic acid, α-Aminoglutaric acid.
Can l-Glutamic acid be labeled natural?
Nature makes l-Glutamic acid, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial l-Glutamic acid, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic l-Glutamic 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-Glutamic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3285. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.320 and 21 CFR 182.1045.
European Union and United Kingdom
No EU FL number is on file for l-Glutamic acid. 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 1420, 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-Glutamic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 56-86-0, where EPA names it L-Glutamic 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
Taste: Umami, savory, slightly acidic.
Where it is used
l-Glutamic acid is used in seasoning, sauces, snack foods and broths, typically as a savory note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to l-Glutamic 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-Glutamine | 3684 | 95% | In nature |
| 2-Oxopentanedioic acid | 3891 | 90% | In nature |
| 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid | 4430 | 76% | In nature |
| Aconitic acid | 2010 | 73% | In nature |
| 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid | 3986 | 70% | In nature |
More acids in this index
N-Acetyl glutamate · L-Aspartic acid · Sodium diacetate · Disodium succinate · 4-Aminobutyric acid · Palmitic acid
l-Glutamic acid FAQ
Is l-Glutamic acid FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists l-Glutamic acid as GRAS under FEMA number 3285. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.320 and 21 CFR 182.1045.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for l-Glutamic acid?
l-Glutamic acid is FEMA 3285, CAS 56-86-0. Its flavor category is savory.
What did JECFA conclude about l-Glutamic acid?
JECFA evaluated l-Glutamic acid at the 63rd meeting in 2004 under JECFA number 1420. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is l-Glutamic acid approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for l-Glutamic acid. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1420), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Does l-Glutamic acid count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for l-Glutamic acid. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic l-Glutamic acid is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic l-Glutamic acid identical-to-natural.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
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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-GLUTAMIC ACID under CAS 56-86-0 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, nutrient supplement, ph control agent.
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.