Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Menthyl formate
Menthyl formate is an ester in the mint family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4509 (CAS 2230-90-2). Its odor is minty, sweet, fresh, herbal.
- FEMA
- 4509
- CAS
- 2230-90-2
- JECFA
- 2246
- EU FL
- 09.618
- Formula
- C11H20O2
- EC
- 218-768-2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 2230-90-2.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-, 1-formate, Menthol, formate, Cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-, formate, 2-Isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexyl formate, (5-methyl-2-propan-2-ylcyclohexyl) formate, 2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexyl formate, 5-methyl-2-(propan-2-yl)cyclohexyl formate, cyclohexanol,5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-, 1-formate, ameisensaurementhylester, p-menth-3-yl methanoate, ws-03275, db-319731.
Can Menthyl formate 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
Menthyl formate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4509. 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 09.618, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2246, 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: Minty, sweet, fresh, herbal.
Where it is used
Menthyl formate is used in beverage, confection, oral care and chewing gum, typically as a mint note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Menthyl formate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menthyl acetate | 2668 | 80% | In nature |
| Menthyl isovalerate | 2669 | 65% | In nature |
| l-Menthyl methyl ether | 4054 | 65% | In nature |
| 3,9-Dimethyl-6-(1-methylethyl)-1,4-dioxaspiro[4.5]decan-2-one | 4285 | 63% | In nature |
| Menthyl valerate | 4156 | 61% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Menthyl acetate · Methyl salicylate · Sucrose monopalmitate · Ethyl 3-(methylthio)-cis-2-propenoate · Geranyl formate · Isoamyl hexanoate
Menthyl formate FAQ
Is menthyl formate FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists menthyl formate as GRAS under FEMA number 4509. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for menthyl formate?
Menthyl formate is FEMA 4509, CAS 2230-90-2. Its flavor category is mint.
How is menthyl formate described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe menthyl formate as minty, sweet, fresh, herbal. It is used in beverage, confection, oral care and chewing gum.
What did JECFA conclude about menthyl formate?
JECFA evaluated menthyl formate at the 86th meeting in 2018 under JECFA number 2246. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is menthyl formate on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 09.618 is the Union List entry for menthyl formate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Ingredient lookup
Check an ingredient
Start typing to search the ingredient corpus.
Or browse every ingredient page, A to Z.
Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
Check Menthyl formate in a formula
Screened against FEMA GRAS, 21 CFR and EU rules as you build. Free to start.
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 MENTHYL FORMATE under CAS 2230-90-2 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.