Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Piperonyl acetate
Piperonyl acetate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2912 (CAS 326-61-4). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, woody, balsamic.
- FEMA
- 2912
- CAS
- 326-61-4
- JECFA
- 894
- EU FL
- 09.220
- Formula
- C10H10O4
- EC
- 206-312-5
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 326-61-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 1,3-Benzodioxole-5-methanol, 5-acetate, Piperonyl alcohol, acetate, 1,3-Benzodioxole-5-methanol, acetate, Heliotropyl acetate, 3,4-Methylenedioxybenzyl acetate, NSC 406725, (2H-1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)methyl acetate, 1,3-Benzodioxol-5-ylmethyl acetate, heliotropyl acetate, 1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylmethyl acetate, piperonyl alcohol, acetate, heliotropin acetate.
Can Piperonyl acetate be labeled natural?
Piperonyl acetate occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: piperonyl acetate won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized piperonyl acetate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic piperonyl acetate 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
Piperonyl acetate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2912. 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 09.220, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 894, evaluated at the 57th meeting in 2001. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Piperonyl acetate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 326-61-4, where EPA names it 1,3-Benzodioxole-5-methanol, 5-acetate.
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, fruity, floral, woody, balsamic.
Where it is used
Piperonyl acetate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, perfume and aroma enhancement, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Piperonyl acetate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benzyl acetate | 2135 | 73% | In nature |
| Piperonal propyleneglycol acetal | 4622 | 73% | Not determined |
| 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal | 4599 | 73% | Not determined |
| 3-n-Butylphthalide | 3334 | 62% | In nature |
| Piperonal | 2911 | 61% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Ethyl 3-phenyl-2,3-epoxypropionate · 1-Octen-3-yl acetate · alpha-Terpinyl acetate · 3-Hexenyl 3-methylbutanoate · cis-3-Hexenyl acetate · Propyleneglycol monobutyrate
Piperonyl acetate FAQ
Is piperonyl acetate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2912 covers piperonyl acetate. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for piperonyl acetate?
The FEMA number for piperonyl acetate is 2912 and its CAS registry number is 326-61-4. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is piperonyl acetate natural or artificial?
Since piperonyl acetate is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when piperonyl acetate is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic piperonyl acetate identical-to-natural.
Is piperonyl acetate approved in the EU?
Piperonyl acetate is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 09.220 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated piperonyl acetate?
Yes. JECFA number 894, evaluated at the 57th meeting in 2001. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
What is piperonyl acetate used for?
Piperonyl acetate is described as sweet, fruity, floral, woody, balsamic. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, perfume and aroma enhancement.
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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 PIPERONYL ACETATE under CAS 326-61-4 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.