Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal
Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2876 (CAS 101-48-4). Its odor is sweet, floral, fruity, green, fresh.
- FEMA
- 2876
- CAS
- 101-48-4
- JECFA
- 1003
- EU FL
- 06.006
- Formula
- C10H14O2
- EC
- 202-945-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 101-48-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzene, (2,2-dimethoxyethyl)-, Acetaldehyde, phenyl-, dimethyl acetal, (2,2-Dimethoxyethyl)benzene, α-Tolylaldehyde dimethyl acetal, Hyscylene P, 1,1-Dimethoxy-2-phenylethane, 2,2-Dimethoxy-1-phenylethane, 2-Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal, NSC 5174, (2,2-dimethoxyethyl)benzene, viridine, hyscylene p.
Can Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal be labeled natural?
Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal 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
Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2876. 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 06.006, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1003, evaluated at the 59th meeting in 2002. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list. Listed on the EPA TSCA inventory.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 101-48-4, where EPA names it Benzene, (2,2-dimethoxyethyl)-.
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, green, fresh.
Where it is used
Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal is used in beverage, confection, flavoring, bakery and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methyl phenethyl ether | 3198 | 89% | In nature |
| Benzyl ethyl ether | 2144 | 89% | In nature |
| 2-Phenylpropionaldehyde dimethyl acetal | 2888 | 86% | In nature |
| Benzyl 2-methoxyethyl acetal | 2148 | 70% | In nature |
| (2,2-Diethoxyethyl)benzene | 4625 | 68% | In nature |
More aldehydes in this index
2,8-Dithianon-4-ene-4-carboxaldehyde · (E)-4-Nonenal · Nonanal · 2-Methyl-3-(p-isopropylphenyl)propionaldehyde · p-Menth-1-en-9-al · 3-Phenylpropionaldehyde
Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal FAQ
Is phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2876 covers phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal?
The FEMA number for phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal is 2876 and its CAS registry number is 101-48-4. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal natural or artificial?
Since phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal identical-to-natural.
Is phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal approved in the EU?
Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 06.006 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal?
Yes. JECFA number 1003, evaluated at the 59th meeting in 2002. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
What is phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal used for?
Phenylacetaldehyde dimethyl acetal is described as sweet, floral, fruity, green, fresh. It shows up in beverage, confection, flavoring, bakery and desserts.
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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 PHENYLACETALDEHYDE DIMETHYL ACETAL under CAS 101-48-4 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.