Flavor ingredient regulatory record
l-Menthyl butyrate
l-Menthyl butyrate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4524 (CAS 68366-64-3). Its odor is sweet, fruity, minty, tropical, floral.
- FEMA
- 4524
- CAS
- 68366-64-3
- JECFA
- 2248
- Formula
- C14H26O2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 68366-64-3.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: menthyl butyrate, (-)-, l-5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)- cyclohexyl butyrate, butanoic acid, (1r,2s,5r)-5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)cyclohexyl ester, butanoic acid, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)cyclohexyl ester, (1r-(1alpha,beta5alpha))-, (-)-menthyl butyrate, menthyl butyrate, l-, (1r,2s,5r)-5-methyl-2-(propan-2-yl)cyclohexyl butanoate, n-buttersa currencyure-l-menthylester, butanoic acid, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)cyclohexyl ester, (1r-(1.alpha.,2.beta.,5.alpha.))-.
Can l-Menthyl butyrate be labeled natural?
Nature occurrence: Not yet found in nature (provisional).
Nature occurrence has not been settled for this substance, so the natural or artificial class is not stated here. The FEMA GRAS status does not depend on it.
Regulatory status, with citations
United States
l-Menthyl butyrate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4524. 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-Menthyl butyrate. 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 2248, evaluated at the 86th meeting in 2018. 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, minty, tropical, floral.
Where it is used
l-Menthyl butyrate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, ice cream and candies, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to l-Menthyl butyrate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menthyl valerate | 4156 | 95% | In nature |
| Menthyl isovalerate | 2669 | 95% | In nature |
| Menthyl propionate | 4510 | 94% | Not determined |
| l-Menthyl acetoacetate | 4327 | 85% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Hexyl acetate · Sodium 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)propanoate · Ethyl 4-(acetylthio)butyrate · Methyl myristate · Ethyl hexadecanoate · Geranyl formate
l-Menthyl butyrate FAQ
Is l-Menthyl butyrate FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists l-Menthyl butyrate as GRAS under FEMA number 4524. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for l-Menthyl butyrate?
l-Menthyl butyrate is FEMA 4524, CAS 68366-64-3. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is l-Menthyl butyrate approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for l-Menthyl butyrate. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2248), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Has JECFA evaluated l-Menthyl butyrate?
Yes. JECFA number 2248, evaluated at the 86th meeting in 2018. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
How is l-Menthyl butyrate described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe l-Menthyl butyrate as sweet, fruity, minty, tropical, floral. It is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, ice cream and candies.
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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-MENTHYL BUTYRATE under CAS 68366-64-3 and carries its FEMA 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.