Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal
Nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3377 (CAS 557-48-2). Its odor is fruity, green, grassy, fresh, citrus.
- FEMA
- 3377
- CAS
- 557-48-2
- JECFA
- 1186
- EU FL
- 05.058
- Formula
- C9H14O
- EC
- 209-178-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 6, 7. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 557-48-2.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2,6-Nonadienal, (2E,6Z)-, 2,6-Nonadienal, (E,Z)-, 2,6-Nonadienal, trans,cis-, (2E,6Z)-2,6-Nonadienal, trans-2,cis-6-Nonadienal, 2-trans-6-cis-Nonadienal, trans,cis-2,6-Nonadienal, (E,Z)-2,6-Nonadienal, (2E,6Z)-Nonadienal, (2E,6Z)-Nona-2,6-dienal, (E,Z)-2,6-Nonadien-1-al, trans-2,cis-6-nonadienal.
Can Nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal be labeled natural?
Nature makes nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal, same molecule. 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
Nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3377. 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 05.058, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
Purity. At least 92%; secondary component 4-7% (E,E)-2,6-nonadienal
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1186.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 557-48-2, where EPA names it 2,6-Nonadienal, (2E,6Z)-.
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, grassy, fresh, citrus.
Where it is used
Nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-trans,6-trans Nonadienal | 3766 | 100% | In nature |
| 2-trans,6-trans Octadienal | 3466 | 97% | In nature |
| Nona-2,4,6-trienal | 4187 | 97% | Not determined |
| cis-6-Nonenal | 3580 | 97% | In nature |
| 2,4-Nonadienal | 3212 | 97% | In nature |
More aldehydes in this index
alpha-Hexylcinnamaldehyde · 5-Methyl-2-(methylthiomethyl)-2-hexenal · trans-Tridecenal · 2,4-Nonadienal · 2-Hydroxy-4-methylbenzaldehyde · Valeraldehyde
Nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal FAQ
Is nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3377 covers nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal?
The FEMA number for nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal is 3377 and its CAS registry number is 557-48-2. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal used for?
Nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal is described as fruity, green, grassy, fresh, citrus. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and savory dishes.
What did JECFA conclude about nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal?
JECFA evaluated nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal under JECFA number 1186.
Is nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 05.058 is the Union List entry for nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal natural or artificial?
The process decides for nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic nona-2(trans),6(cis)-dienal 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.
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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-TRANS-6-CIS-NONADIENAL under CAS 557-48-2 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.