Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate
Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3859 (CAS 4493-42-9). Its odor is sweet, fruity, tropical, floral, green.
- FEMA
- 3859
- CAS
- 4493-42-9
- JECFA
- 1191
- EU FL
- 09.639
- Formula
- C11H18O2
- EC
- 224-787-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 18. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 4493-42-9.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2,4-Decadienoic acid, methyl ester, (2E,4Z)-, 2,4-Decadienoic acid, methyl ester, (E,Z)-, Methyl trans-2,cis-4-decadienoate, Methyl 2-trans-4-cis-decadienoate, Methyl (E,Z)-2,4-decadienoate, Methyl (2E,4Z)-2,4-decadienoate, Methyl 2E,4Z-decadienoate, (2E,4Z)-2,4-Decadienoic acid methyl ester, methyl (2e,4z)-2,4-decadienoate, methyl 2,4-decadienoate, e,z-methyl 2,4-decadienoate, methyl (e,z)-2,4-decadienoate.
Can Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate be labeled natural?
The process decides for Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate is artificial. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
- 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 (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3859. 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 09.639, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
Purity. At least 93%; secondary component 2-5% (E,E) methyl 2,4-decadienoate
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1191, evaluated at the 61st meeting in 2003. 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 (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 4493-42-9, where EPA names it 2,4-Decadienoic acid, methyl ester, (2E,4Z)-.
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: Sweet, fruity, tropical, floral, green.
Where it is used
Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, desserts and jams, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl trans-2-cis-4-decadienoate | 3148 | 95% | In nature |
| (2E, 4E)-undeca-2,4-dienal | 3422 | 88% | In nature |
| Propyl 2,4-decadienoate | 3648 | 87% | In nature |
| (E,Z)-3,6-Nonadien-1-ol acetate | 3953 | 82% | In nature |
More esters in this index
cis-Hexenyl propionate · l-Menthyl butyrate · Propyl hexanoate · Methyl myristate · Ethyl acrylate · 3-Hexenyl 3-methylbutanoate
Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate FAQ
Does Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate have FEMA GRAS status?
Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3859. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate as FEMA 3859 or CAS 4493-42-9; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate is sweet, fruity, tropical, floral, green. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors, desserts and jams.
What did JECFA conclude about Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate?
JECFA evaluated Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate at the 61st meeting in 2003 under JECFA number 1191. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Can Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 09.639 is the Union List entry for Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate be labeled a natural flavor?
Nature makes Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic Methyl (E)-2-(Z)-4-decadienoate 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 METHYL(E)-2-(Z)-4-DECADIENOATE under CAS 4493-42-9 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.