Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Magnolol
Magnolol is a phenol in the woody family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4559 (CAS 528-43-8). Its odor is earthy, woody, herbal, sweet.
- FEMA
- 4559
- CAS
- 528-43-8
- JECFA
- 2023
- Formula
- C18H18O2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 528-43-8.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: [1,1′-Biphenyl]-2,2′-diol, 5,5′-di-2-propen-1-yl-, 2,2′-Bichavicol, 2,2′-Biphenyldiol, 5,5′-diallyl-, [1,1′-Biphenyl]-2,2′-diol, 5,5′-di-2-propenyl-, 5,5′-Di-2-propen-1-yl[1,1′-biphenyl]-2,2′-diol, 5,5′-Diallyl-2,2′-biphenyldiol, NSC 293099, 2-(2-Hydroxy-5-prop-2-enylphenyl)-4-prop-2-enylphenol, E 100338, 5,5'-diallyl-2,2'-dihydroxybiphenyl, dehydrodichavicol, 2-(2-hydroxy-5-prop-2-enylphenyl)-4-prop-2-enylphenol.
Can Magnolol be labeled natural?
The process decides for magnolol. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic magnolol is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic magnolol 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
Magnolol is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4559. 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 Magnolol. 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 2023.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Earthy, woody, herbal, sweet.
Where it is used
Magnolol is used in beverage, confection, spice blends and savory dishes, typically as a woody note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Magnolol by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eugenyl benzoate | 2471 | 69% | In nature |
| Divanillin | 4107 | 68% | Not determined |
| Isoeugenyl benzyl ether | 3698 | 65% | Not determined |
More phenols in this index
2,4,6-Trimethylphenol · 4-Methyl-1,1'-biphenyl · p-Propylphenol · Diphenyl · 4-(1,1-Dimethylethyl)phenol · 2-Methoxy-4-propylphenol
Magnolol FAQ
Is magnolol on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 4559 covers magnolol. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for magnolol?
The FEMA number for magnolol is 4559 and its CAS registry number is 528-43-8. Its flavor category is woody.
What is magnolol used for?
Magnolol is described as earthy, woody, herbal, sweet. It shows up in beverage, confection, spice blends and savory dishes.
What did JECFA conclude about magnolol?
JECFA evaluated magnolol under JECFA number 2023.
Is magnolol approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for magnolol. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2023), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Is magnolol natural or artificial?
Nature makes magnolol, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial magnolol, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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 MAGNOLOL under CAS 528-43-8 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.