Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Linoleic and linolenic acid
Linoleic and linolenic acid is a natural complex flavoring material in the nutty family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3380 (CAS 60-33-3). Its odor is nutty, fatty, green, slightly sweet.
- FEMA
- 3380
- CAS
- 60-33-3
- JECFA
- 332
- EU FL
- 08.041
- EC
- 200-470-9
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 6. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 977043-76-7.
Structure
Material
Linoleic and linolenic acid is a natural complex material rather than a single molecule, so it has no one structure. FEMA lists it as Linoleic and linolenic acid (mixture).
Identity
Also known as: 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (9Z,12Z)-, Linoleic acid, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-, (9Z,12Z)-9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, 9Z,12Z-Linoleic acid, cis-9,cis-12-Octadecadienoic acid, Polylin 515, cis,cis-Linoleic acid, Unifac 6550, Linolic acid, 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid, (Z,Z)-, (Z,Z)-9,12-Octadecadienoic acid.
Can Linoleic and linolenic acid be labeled natural?
Linoleic and linolenic acid occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: linoleic and linolenic acid won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized linoleic and linolenic acid is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic linoleic and linolenic 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
Linoleic and linolenic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3380. 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 08.041, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
Purity. 44-46% linolenic acid; 18-20% linoleic acid; 22-25% stearic and oleic acid; 7-8% palmitic acid
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 332, evaluated at the 61st meeting in 2003. 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. Linoleic and linolenic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 60-33-3, where EPA names it 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (9Z,12Z)-.
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: Nutty, fatty, green, slightly sweet.
Taste: Nutty, oily, slightly bitter.
Where it is used
Linoleic and linolenic acid is used in snack foods, salad dressings, nut butters and baked goods, typically as a nutty note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Linoleic and linolenic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oleic acid | 2815 | 98% | In nature |
| Methyl linolenate | 3411 | 91% | In nature |
| Octadec-9-enal | 4059 | 90% | In nature |
| Palmitic acid | 2832 | 89% | In nature |
| Butyl stearate | 2214 | 89% | In nature |
More acids in this index
Myristic acid · Palmitic acid · cis-5-Octenoic acid · 5-Methylhexanoic acid · 3-Phenylpropionic acid · Undecanoic acid
Linoleic and linolenic acid FAQ
Is linoleic and linolenic acid on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3380 covers linoleic and linolenic acid. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for linoleic and linolenic acid?
The FEMA number for linoleic and linolenic acid is 3380 and its CAS registry number is 60-33-3. FEMA files it in the nutty flavor category.
Is linoleic and linolenic acid natural or artificial?
Since linoleic and linolenic acid is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when linoleic and linolenic acid is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic linoleic and linolenic acid identical-to-natural.
Is linoleic and linolenic acid approved in the EU?
Linoleic and linolenic acid is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.041 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated linoleic and linolenic acid?
Yes. JECFA number 332, evaluated at the 61st meeting in 2003. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
What is linoleic and linolenic acid used for?
Linoleic and linolenic acid is described as nutty, fatty, green, slightly sweet. On the palate it is nutty, oily, slightly bitter. It shows up in snack foods, salad dressings, nut butters and baked goods.
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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 9,12-OCTADECADIENOIC ACID (48%) AND 9,12,15-OCTADECATRIENOIC ACID (52%) under CAS 977043-76-7 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, nutrient supplement, solvent or vehicle.
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.