Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Propionic acid
Propionic acid is an acid in the acidic family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2924 (CAS 79-09-4). Its odor is sour, pungent, vinegar-like, sharp.
- FEMA
- 2924
- CAS
- 79-09-4
- JECFA
- 84
- EU FL
- 08.003
- Formula
- C3H6O2
- EC
- 201-176-3
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 79-09-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Propanoic acid, Carboxyethane, Ethylformic acid, Metacetonic acid, Methylacetic acid, Prozoin, Pseudoacetic acid, Ethanecarboxylic acid, Luprosil, MonoProp, Antischim B, Propkorn.
Can Propionic acid be labeled natural?
Propionic acid occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: propionic acid won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized propionic acid is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic propionic acid 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
Propionic acid is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2924. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 184.1081.
European Union and United Kingdom
Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.003, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 84, evaluated at the 49th meeting in 1997. 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. Propionic acid appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 79-09-4, where EPA names it Propanoic acid.
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: Sour, pungent, vinegar-like, sharp.
Where it is used
Propionic acid is used in baked goods, dairy, preservatives and condiments, typically as a acidic note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Propionic acid by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lactic acid | 2611 | 95% | In nature |
| Isobutyric acid | 2222 | 94% | In nature |
| Glycine | 3287 | 92% | In nature |
| 2-Butanone | 2170 | 92% | In nature |
| L-Alanine | 3818 | 91% | In nature |
More acids in this index
Lactic acid · Succinic acid · Adipic acid · Aconitic acid · Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- · L-Malic Acid
Propionic acid FAQ
Is propionic acid on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2924 covers propionic acid. It is also codified at 21 CFR 184.1081.
What is the FEMA number for propionic acid?
The FEMA number for propionic acid is 2924 and its CAS registry number is 79-09-4. FEMA files it in the acidic flavor category.
Is propionic acid natural or artificial?
Since propionic acid is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when propionic acid is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic propionic acid identical-to-natural.
Is propionic acid approved in the EU?
Propionic acid is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.003 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated propionic acid?
Yes. JECFA number 84, evaluated at the 49th meeting in 1997. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is propionic acid used for?
Propionic acid is described as sour, pungent, vinegar-like, sharp. It shows up in baked goods, dairy, preservatives and condiments.
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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 PROPIONIC ACID under CAS 79-09-4 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 antimicrobial agent, flavoring agent or adjuvant, ph control agent.
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.