Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Methyl hexyl ether
Methyl hexyl ether is an ether in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4291 (CAS 4747-07-3). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, estery, green.
- FEMA
- 4291
- CAS
- 4747-07-3
- JECFA
- 2138
- EU FL
- 03.016
- Formula
- C7H16O
- EC
- 225-263-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 23. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 4747-07-3.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Hexane, 1-methoxy-, Ether, hexyl methyl, 1-Methoxyhexane, Hexyl methyl ether, n-Hexyl methyl ether, Diola (fragrance), Diola, hexyl methyl ether, hexane, 1-methoxy-, methyl-n-hexyl ether, diola, 1-methoxyhexane.
Can Methyl hexyl ether 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
Methyl hexyl ether is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4291. 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 03.016, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2138, evaluated at the 76th meeting in 2012. 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 hexyl ether appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 4747-07-3, where EPA names it Hexane, 1-methoxy-.
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, floral, estery, green.
Where it is used
Methyl hexyl ether is used in beverage, confection, flavoring agents and fruity desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Methyl hexyl ether by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Octanol | 2800 | 79% | In nature |
| Heptyl alcohol | 2548 | 79% | In nature |
| 3-Octanol | 3581 | 77% | In nature |
| 1-Octene | 4293 | 75% | In nature |
| Hexyl alcohol | 2567 | 74% | In nature |
More ethers in this index
Isoeugenyl ethyl ether · Benzyl ethyl ether · (2,2-Diethoxyethyl)benzene · Methyl phenethyl ether · 2,4-Dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane · Difurfuryl ether
Methyl hexyl ether FAQ
Does methyl hexyl ether have FEMA GRAS status?
Methyl hexyl ether holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4291. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite methyl hexyl ether by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite methyl hexyl ether as FEMA 4291 or CAS 4747-07-3; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does methyl hexyl ether smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of methyl hexyl ether is sweet, fruity, floral, estery, green. Typical uses are beverage, confection, flavoring agents and fruity desserts.
What did JECFA conclude about methyl hexyl ether?
JECFA evaluated methyl hexyl ether at the 76th meeting in 2012 under JECFA number 2138. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Can methyl hexyl ether be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 03.016 is the Union List entry for methyl hexyl ether, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
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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 HEXYL ETHER under CAS 4747-07-3 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.