Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Menthyl propionate
Menthyl propionate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4510 (CAS 86014-82-6). Its odor is sweet, fruity, minty, tropical, refreshing.
- FEMA
- 4510
- CAS
- 86014-82-6
- JECFA
- 2247
- Formula
- C13H24O2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 86014-82-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-, 1-propanoate, Cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-, propanoate, Menthol, propionate, Propionic acid, p-menth-3-yl ester, d-isomenthyl propionate, menthylpropionat, 5-methyl-2-(propan-2-yl)cyclohexyl propanoate, (2-isopropyl-5-methyl-cyclohexyl) propanoate, db-246513, cyclohexanol, 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-, 1-propanoate, (1s-(1alpha,2beta,5beta))-2-(isopropyl)-5-methylcyclohexyl propionate.
Can Menthyl propionate 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 propionate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4510. 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 Menthyl propionate. 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 2247, 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, refreshing.
Taste: Sweet, fruity, minty.
Where it is used
Menthyl propionate 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 Menthyl propionate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| l-Menthyl butyrate | 4524 | 94% | Not determined |
| Menthyl acetate | 2668 | 88% | In nature |
| Menthyl valerate | 4156 | 88% | In nature |
| Menthyl isovalerate | 2669 | 86% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Allyl cyclohexane butyrate · Allyl cinnamate · Ethyl Caprylate · cis-3-Hexenyl acetate · Ethyl 2-methyl-4-pentenoate · 3-Mercapto-3-methylbutyl formate
Menthyl propionate FAQ
Does menthyl propionate have FEMA GRAS status?
Menthyl propionate holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4510. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite menthyl propionate by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite menthyl propionate as FEMA 4510 or CAS 86014-82-6; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is menthyl propionate approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for menthyl propionate. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2247), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Has JECFA evaluated menthyl propionate?
Yes. JECFA number 2247, evaluated at the 86th meeting in 2018. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What does menthyl propionate smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of menthyl propionate is sweet, fruity, minty, tropical, refreshing. On the palate it is sweet, fruity, minty. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors, ice cream and candies.
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 propionate 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 PROPIONATE under CAS 86014-82-6 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.