Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Nootkatone Complex
Nootkatone Complex is a flavoring substance, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4941 (CAS 4674-50-4). Its odor is grapefruit, citrus, orange, sweet peely with a woody nuance.
- FEMA
- 4941
- CAS
- 4674-50-4
- JECFA
- 1398
- EU FL
- 07.089
- Formula
- C15H22O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS. Source: FEMA Flavor Ingredient Library.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2(3H)-Naphthalenone, 4,4a,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,4a-dimethyl-6-(1-methylethenyl)-, (4R,4aS,6R)-, 4βH,5α-Eremophila-1(10),11-dien-2-one, Nootkatone, 2(3H)-Naphthalenone, 4,4a,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,4a-dimethyl-6-(1-methylethenyl)-, [4R-(4α,4aα,6β)]-, (4R,4aS,6R)-4,4a,5,6,7,8-Hexahydro-4,4a-dimethyl-6-(1-methylethenyl)-2(3H)-naphthalenone, (+)-Nootkatone, Nootkanone, (4R,4AS,6R)-4,4a-dimethyl-6-(prop-1-en-2-yl)-4,4a,5,6,7,8-hexahydronaphthalen-2(3H)-one, nootkatone, (+)-nootkatone, (4r,4as,6r)-4,4a-dimethyl-6-prop-1-en-2-yl-3,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydronaphthalen-2-one, 1(10),11-eremophiladien-2-one.
Can Nootkatone Complex be labeled natural?
Nature makes Nootkatone Complex, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial Nootkatone Complex, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic Nootkatone Complex 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
Nootkatone Complex is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4941. 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 07.089, 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 3-4% dihydronootkatone
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1398, evaluated at the 63rd meeting in 2004. 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. Nootkatone Complex appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 4674-50-4, where EPA names it 2(3H)-Naphthalenone, 4,4a,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,4a-dimethyl-6-(1-methylethenyl)-, (4R,4aS,6R)-.
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: Grapefruit, citrus, orange, sweet peely with a woody nuance.
Taste: Grapefruit, citrus, orange and bitter.
Where it is used
Typical applications for Nootkatone Complex are not on file yet.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Nootkatone Complex by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| alpha-iso-Methylionone | 2714 | 78% | In nature |
| beta-Isomethylionone | 4151 | 77% | In nature |
| alpha-Irone | 2597 | 76% | In nature |
| Santalyl acetate | 3007 | 76% | In nature |
| Tetramethyl ethylcyclohexenone | 3061 | 72% | Not determined |
Nootkatone Complex FAQ
Is Nootkatone Complex FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists Nootkatone Complex as GRAS under FEMA number 4941. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for Nootkatone Complex?
Nootkatone Complex is FEMA 4941, CAS 4674-50-4.
How is Nootkatone Complex described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe Nootkatone Complex as grapefruit, citrus, orange, sweet peely with a woody nuance. On the palate it is grapefruit, citrus, orange and bitter.
What did JECFA conclude about Nootkatone Complex?
JECFA evaluated Nootkatone Complex at the 63rd meeting in 2004 under JECFA number 1398. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is Nootkatone Complex on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 07.089 is the Union List entry for Nootkatone Complex, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does Nootkatone Complex count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for Nootkatone Complex. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic Nootkatone Complex is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic Nootkatone Complex identical-to-natural.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
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Sources and attribution. The FEMA number and GRAS status on this page name a conclusion reached by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States. FDA does not list this substance by FEMA number in its Substances Added to Food inventory. Its identity is attested by FDA Substances Added to Food, EU Union List of flavouring substances, EPA TSCA Chemical Substance Inventory, matched on CAS 4674-50-4.
FEMA publishes its own entry for this substance in the FEMA Flavor Library, which is the authoritative record 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.