Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Propyl heptanoate
Propyl heptanoate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2948 (CAS 7778-87-2). Its odor is sweet, fruity, apple, pear, tropical.
- FEMA
- 2948
- CAS
- 7778-87-2
- JECFA
- 168
- EU FL
- 09.095
- Formula
- C10H20O2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 7778-87-2.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Heptanoic acid, propyl ester, NSC 23045, heptanoic acid, propyl ester, propyl heptoate, propyl heptylate, n-propyl heptanoate, n-propyl n-heptanoate, ai3-30737, propyl heptanoate [fhfi], n-propyl heptylate, heptanoic acid propyl ester, as-56919.
Can Propyl heptanoate be labeled natural?
Propyl heptanoate occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: propyl heptanoate won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized propyl heptanoate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic propyl heptanoate 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
Propyl heptanoate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2948. 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 09.095, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 168, 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.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, fruity, apple, pear, tropical.
Where it is used
Propyl heptanoate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and dairy, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Propyl heptanoate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propyl hexanoate | 2949 | 95% | In nature |
| Ethyl Caprylate | 2449 | 95% | In nature |
| Octyl acetate | 2806 | 89% | In nature |
More esters in this index
mono-Menthyl succinate · Ethyl cinnamate · 2,4-Hexadienyl propionate · Glucose pentaacetate · 1-Octen-3-yl butyrate · Heptyl octanoate
Propyl heptanoate FAQ
Is propyl heptanoate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2948 covers propyl heptanoate. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for propyl heptanoate?
The FEMA number for propyl heptanoate is 2948 and its CAS registry number is 7778-87-2. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is propyl heptanoate natural or artificial?
Since propyl heptanoate is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when propyl heptanoate is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic propyl heptanoate identical-to-natural.
Is propyl heptanoate approved in the EU?
Propyl heptanoate is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 09.095 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated propyl heptanoate?
Yes. JECFA number 168, evaluated at the 49th meeting in 1997. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is propyl heptanoate used for?
Propyl heptanoate is described as sweet, fruity, apple, pear, tropical. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and dairy.
Ingredient lookup
Check an ingredient
Start typing to search the ingredient corpus.
Or browse every ingredient page, A to Z.
Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
Check Propyl heptanoate in a formula
Screened against FEMA GRAS, 21 CFR and EU rules as you build. Free to start.
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 PROPYL HEPTANOATE under CAS 7778-87-2 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.