Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Propyl hexanoate
Propyl hexanoate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2949 (CAS 626-77-7). Its odor is fruity, apple, pear, herbaceous.
- FEMA
- 2949
- CAS
- 626-77-7
- JECFA
- 161
- EU FL
- 09.061
- Formula
- C9H18O2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 626-77-7.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Hexanoic acid, propyl ester, Propyl caproate, 1-Propyl n-caproate, NSC 53784, propyl caproate, hexanoic acid, propyl ester, propyl hexanoate (natural), 1-propyl n-caproate, ai3-06014, propyl caproic acid, propyl hexanoic acid, caproate propyl ester.
Can Propyl hexanoate be labeled natural?
Nature makes propyl hexanoate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial propyl hexanoate, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic propyl hexanoate 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 hexanoate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2949. 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 09.061, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 161, 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. Propyl hexanoate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 626-77-7, where EPA names it Hexanoic acid, propyl ester.
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: Fruity, apple, pear, herbaceous.
Taste: Apple, pear, sweet.
Where it is used
Propyl hexanoate is used in apple, pear and fruit, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Propyl hexanoate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propyl heptanoate | 2948 | 95% | In nature |
| Butyl hexanoate | 2201 | 95% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Octyl acetate · trans-2-Octen-1-yl butanoate · Isoamyl hexanoate · Allyl tiglate · Guaiacol isobutyrate · 6-Hydroxydihydrotheaspirane
Propyl hexanoate FAQ
Is propyl hexanoate FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists propyl hexanoate as GRAS under FEMA number 2949. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for propyl hexanoate?
Propyl hexanoate is FEMA 2949, CAS 626-77-7. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is propyl hexanoate described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe propyl hexanoate as fruity, apple, pear, herbaceous. On the palate it is apple, pear, sweet. It is used in apple, pear and fruit.
What did JECFA conclude about propyl hexanoate?
JECFA evaluated propyl hexanoate at the 49th meeting in 1997 under JECFA number 161. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is propyl hexanoate on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 09.061 is the Union List entry for propyl hexanoate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does propyl hexanoate count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for propyl hexanoate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic propyl hexanoate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic propyl hexanoate identical-to-natural.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
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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 PROPYL HEXANOATE under CAS 626-77-7 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.