Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Piperine
Piperine is an alkaloid in the spice family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2909 (CAS 94-62-2). Its odor is pungent, spicy, earthy, warm.
- FEMA
- 2909
- CAS
- 94-62-2
- JECFA
- 1600
- EU FL
- 14.003
- Formula
- C17H19NO3
- EC
- 202-348-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 94-62-2.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2,4-Pentadien-1-one, 5-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1-(1-piperidinyl)-, (2E,4E)-, Piperidine, 1-piperoyl-, (E,E)-, Piperidine, 1-[5-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1-oxo-2,4-pentadienyl]-, (E,E)-, Piperidine, 1-[(2E,4E)-5-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1-oxo-2,4-pentadienyl]-, (2E,4E)-5-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)-1-(1-piperidinyl)-2,4-pentadien-1-one, 1-Piperoylpiperidine, Piperin, (E,E)-5-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2,4-pentadienoylpiperidide, (E,E)-1-[5-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)-2,4-pentadienoyl]piperidine, Bioperine, NSC 21727, Bioperin.
Can Piperine be labeled natural?
Nature makes piperine, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial piperine, 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
Piperine is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2909. 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 14.003, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA/EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1600, evaluated at the 65th meeting in 2005. 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. Piperine appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 94-62-2, where EPA names it 2,4-Pentadien-1-one, 5-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-1-(1-piperidinyl)-, (2E,4E)-.
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: Pungent, spicy, earthy, warm.
Taste: Spicy, pungent, slightly bitter.
Where it is used
Piperine is used in seasoning, sauces, snacks and condiments, typically as a spice note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Piperine by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| (E)-3-Benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yl-N,N-diphenyl-2-propenamide | 4788 | 84% | Not determined |
| Tetrahydrofurfuryl cinnamate | 3320 | 74% | In nature |
| Cyclohexyl cinnamate | 2352 | 69% | In nature |
| Phenethyl cinnamate | 2863 | 69% | In nature |
| 3-(1-((3,5-Dimethylisoxazol-4-yl)methyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-1-(3-hydroxybenzyl)-imidazolidine-2,4-dione | 4725 | 66% | Not determined |
More alkaloids in this index
Caffeine · Theobromine · Quinine sulfate · Quinine hydrochloride · Isoquinoline · 2-(3-Phenylpropyl)pyridine
Piperine FAQ
Is piperine on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2909 covers piperine. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for piperine?
The FEMA number for piperine is 2909 and its CAS registry number is 94-62-2. Its flavor category is spice.
What is piperine used for?
Piperine is described as pungent, spicy, earthy, warm. On the palate it is spicy, pungent, slightly bitter. It shows up in seasoning, sauces, snacks and condiments.
What did JECFA conclude about piperine?
JECFA evaluated piperine at the 65th meeting in 2005 under JECFA number 1600. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is piperine approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 14.003 is the Union List entry for piperine, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is piperine natural or artificial?
The process decides for piperine. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic piperine 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 PIPERINE under CAS 94-62-2 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.