Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Methyl-3-pentenoic acid
Methyl-3-pentenoic acid is an acid in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3464 (CAS 37674-63-8). Its odor is fruity, green, apple, floral.
- FEMA
- 3464
- CAS
- 37674-63-8
- JECFA
- 347
- EU FL
- 08.058
- Formula
- C6H10O2
- EC
- 253-610-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 9. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 37674-63-8.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 3-Pentenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-Methyl-3-pentenoic acid, Iso Fragarone, 2-Methylpent-3-en-1-oic acid, 2-methylpent-3-enoic acid, 3-pentenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-methyl-3-pentenoic acid, 2-methylpent-3-en-1-oic acid, 2-propenyl propanoic acid, db-240384.
Can Methyl-3-pentenoic acid be labeled natural?
Methyl-3-pentenoic acid occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: methyl-3-pentenoic acid won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized methyl-3-pentenoic acid is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic methyl-3-pentenoic 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
Methyl-3-pentenoic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3464. 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 08.058, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 347, evaluated at the 51st meeting in 1998. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Methyl-3-pentenoic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 37674-63-8, where EPA names it 3-Pentenoic acid, 2-methyl-.
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: Fruity, green, apple, floral.
Where it is used
Methyl-3-pentenoic acid is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Methyl-3-pentenoic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Methyl-2-pentenoic acid | 3195 | 98% | In nature |
| 2-Methylvaleric acid | 2754 | 94% | In nature |
| 2-Methyl-4-pentenoic acid | 3511 | 93% | In nature |
| 2,4-Dimethyl-2-pentenoic acid | 3143 | 92% | In nature |
| (E)-2-Pentenoic acid | 4193 | 91% | In nature |
More acids in this index
3-Methoxybenzoic acid · 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid · 2-Ethylbutyric acid · 2-Methyl-4-pentenoic acid · 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid · 3-Hexenoic acid
Methyl-3-pentenoic acid FAQ
Is methyl-3-pentenoic acid on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3464 covers methyl-3-pentenoic acid. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for methyl-3-pentenoic acid?
The FEMA number for methyl-3-pentenoic acid is 3464 and its CAS registry number is 37674-63-8. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is methyl-3-pentenoic acid natural or artificial?
Since methyl-3-pentenoic acid is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when methyl-3-pentenoic acid is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic methyl-3-pentenoic acid identical-to-natural.
Is methyl-3-pentenoic acid approved in the EU?
Methyl-3-pentenoic acid is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.058 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated methyl-3-pentenoic acid?
Yes. JECFA number 347, evaluated at the 51st meeting in 1998. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is methyl-3-pentenoic acid used for?
Methyl-3-pentenoic acid is described as fruity, green, apple, floral. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and savory dishes.
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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 2-METHYL-3-PENTENOIC ACID under CAS 37674-63-8 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.