Flavor ingredient regulatory record
p-Menthane-3,8-diol
p-Menthane-3,8-diol is an alcohol in the mint family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4053 (CAS 42822-86-6). Its odor is fresh, minty, cooling, herbal.
- FEMA
- 4053
- CAS
- 42822-86-6
- JECFA
- 1416
- EU FL
- 02.246
- Formula
- C10H20O2
- EC
- 255-953-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 21. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 42822-86-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Cyclohexanemethanol, 2-hydroxy-α,α,4-trimethyl-, 2-Hydroxy-α,α,4-trimethylcyclohexanemethanol, 3,8-p-Menthanediol, 1-Hydroxy-5-methyl-2-(1-methyl-1-hydroxyethyl)cyclohexane, 1-Hydroxy-2-(1-methyl-1-hydroxyethyl)-5-methylcyclohexane, Geranium cyclohexane, Geranodyle, Citriodiol, Citrepel, Cooling agent 38D, p-Menthan-3,8-diol, 2-(2-Hydroxypropan-2-yl)-5-methylcyclohexan-1-ol.
Can p-Menthane-3,8-diol be labeled natural?
Nature makes p-Menthane-3,8-diol, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial p-Menthane-3,8-diol, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic p-Menthane-3,8-diol 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
p-Menthane-3,8-diol is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4053. 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 02.246, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1416, 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.
Odor and taste
Odor: Fresh, minty, cooling, herbal.
Where it is used
p-Menthane-3,8-diol is used in beverage, confection, oral care and flavoring, typically as a mint note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to p-Menthane-3,8-diol by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| alpha-Terpineol | 3045 | 75% | In nature |
| p-Menth-3-en-1-ol | 3563 | 68% | In nature |
| d,l-Isomenthone | 3460 | 64% | In nature |
| Hydroxycitronellol | 2586 | 64% | In nature |
| p-Mentha-8-thiol-3-one | 3177 | 63% | In nature |
More alcohols in this index
8-p-Menthene-1,2-diol · 2-(l-Menthoxy)ethanol · p-Menth-8-en-1-ol · (-)-Menthol 1- and 2-propylene glycol carbonate · D,L-Menthol(+/-)-propylene glycol carbonate · 2-Octanol
p-Menthane-3,8-diol FAQ
Is p-Menthane-3,8-diol FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists p-Menthane-3,8-diol as GRAS under FEMA number 4053. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for p-Menthane-3,8-diol?
p-Menthane-3,8-diol is FEMA 4053, CAS 42822-86-6. Its flavor category is mint.
How is p-Menthane-3,8-diol described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe p-Menthane-3,8-diol as fresh, minty, cooling, herbal. It is used in beverage, confection, oral care and flavoring.
What did JECFA conclude about p-Menthane-3,8-diol?
JECFA evaluated p-Menthane-3,8-diol at the 63rd meeting in 2004 under JECFA number 1416. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is p-Menthane-3,8-diol on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 02.246 is the Union List entry for p-Menthane-3,8-diol, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does p-Menthane-3,8-diol count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for p-Menthane-3,8-diol. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic p-Menthane-3,8-diol is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic p-Menthane-3,8-diol 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 P-MENTHANE-3,8-DIOL under CAS 42822-86-6 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.