Flavor ingredient regulatory record
p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol
p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol is an alcohol in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2933 (CAS 536-60-7). Its odor is sweet, floral, fruity, woody.
- FEMA
- 2933
- CAS
- 536-60-7
- JECFA
- 864
- EU FL
- 02.039
- Formula
- C10H14O
- EC
- 208-640-4
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 536-60-7.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzenemethanol, 4-(1-methylethyl)-, p-Cymen-7-ol, 4-(1-Methylethyl)benzenemethanol, Cumic alcohol, Cuminic alcohol, Cuminol, Cuminyl alcohol, Cumyl alcohol, 4-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol, Cumin alcohol, NSC 15672, (4-Isopropylphenyl)methanol.
Can p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol be labeled natural?
Nature makes p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol, 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
p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2933. 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 02.039, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 864, evaluated at the 73rd meeting in 2011. no safety concern at current estimated dietary exposures.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 536-60-7, where EPA names it Benzenemethanol, 4-(1-methylethyl)-.
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, floral, fruity, woody.
Taste: Sweet, mild, floral.
Where it is used
p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol is used in beverage, confection, fragrance and flavoring, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anisyl alcohol | 2099 | 84% | In nature |
| Cuminaldehyde | 2341 | 82% | In nature |
| 2-(p-Tolyl)propionaldehyde | 3078 | 72% | In nature |
| p,alpha-Dimethylbenzyl alcohol | 3139 | 69% | In nature |
| 1,3-p-Menthadien-7-al | 4506 | 68% | In nature |
More alcohols in this index
3-Phenyl-1-propanol · Undecyl alcohol · 2-Octen-1-ol · 4-Methylbenzyl alcohol · cis-2-Octenol · Heptan-2-ol
p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol FAQ
Is p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2933 covers p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol?
The FEMA number for p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol is 2933 and its CAS registry number is 536-60-7. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol used for?
p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol is described as sweet, floral, fruity, woody. On the palate it is sweet, mild, floral. It shows up in beverage, confection, fragrance and flavoring.
What did JECFA conclude about p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol?
JECFA evaluated p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol at the 73rd meeting in 2011 under JECFA number 864. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current estimated dietary exposures.
Is p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 02.039 is the Union List entry for p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol natural or artificial?
The process decides for p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol 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.
Ingredient lookup
Check an ingredient
Start typing to search the ingredient corpus.
Or browse every ingredient page, A to Z.
Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
Check p-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol in a formula
Screened against FEMA GRAS, 21 CFR and EU rules as you build. Free to start.
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 P-ISOPROPYLBENZYL ALCOHOL under CAS 536-60-7 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number and its 21 CFR citations. 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.