Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Propyleneglycol dibutyrate
Propyleneglycol dibutyrate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4466 (CAS 50980-84-2). Its odor is sweet, fruity, buttery, estery, smooth.
- FEMA
- 4466
- CAS
- 50980-84-2
- JECFA
- 1980
- Formula
- C11H20O4
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 50980-84-2.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Butanoic acid, 1,1′-(1-methyl-1,2-ethanediyl) ester, Butanoic acid, 1-methyl-1,2-ethanediyl ester, Butyric acid, propylene ester, Propylene glycol dibutyrate, 1,2-Propanediol dibutyrate, Bibutyryl 1,2-propyleneglycol, propylene glycol dibutyrate, propyleneglycol di-n-butyrate, butanoic acid, 1-methyl-1,2-ethanediyl ester, butanoic acid, 1,1'-(1-methyl-1,2-ethanediyl) ester, butyric acid, propylene ester, bibutyryl 1,2-propyleneglycol.
Can Propyleneglycol dibutyrate be labeled natural?
Nature occurrence: Not yet found in nature (provisional).
Nature occurrence has not been settled for this substance, so the natural or artificial class is not stated here. The FEMA GRAS status does not depend on it.
Regulatory status, with citations
United States
Propyleneglycol dibutyrate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4466. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
No EU FL number is on file for Propyleneglycol dibutyrate. That is not a finding either way. The Union List covers defined flavouring substances, so natural complex materials are handled as flavouring preparations under Parts B to F and never receive a number, and substances used as additives sit under Regulation 1333/2008 instead. Confirm the position before EU or UK use.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1980, evaluated at the 73rd meeting in 2010. 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. Propyleneglycol dibutyrate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 50980-84-2, where EPA names it Butanoic acid, 1,1'-(1-methyl-1,2-ethanediyl) ester.
Inactive in US commerce
EPA designates this substance inactive, so a Notice of Activity Form B is required before anyone manufactures or processes it again. Being FEMA GRAS does not change that. 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, buttery, estery, smooth.
Where it is used
Propyleneglycol dibutyrate is used in beverage, confection, bakery, dairy and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Propyleneglycol dibutyrate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butyl butyryllactate | 2190 | 91% | In nature |
| 3-Octyl butyrate | 4402 | 72% | Not determined |
| Tributyrin | 2223 | 71% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Allyl heptanoate · Ethyl butyrate · Rhodinyl isovalerate · 3-Oxohexadecanoic acid glyceride · cis-3-Hexenyl anthranilate · Octyl octanoate
Propyleneglycol dibutyrate FAQ
Is propyleneglycol dibutyrate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 4466 covers propyleneglycol dibutyrate. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for propyleneglycol dibutyrate?
The FEMA number for propyleneglycol dibutyrate is 4466 and its CAS registry number is 50980-84-2. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is propyleneglycol dibutyrate approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for propyleneglycol dibutyrate. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1980), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Has JECFA evaluated propyleneglycol dibutyrate?
Yes. JECFA number 1980, evaluated at the 73rd meeting in 2010. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is propyleneglycol dibutyrate used for?
Propyleneglycol dibutyrate is described as sweet, fruity, buttery, estery, smooth. It shows up in beverage, confection, bakery, dairy and desserts.
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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 PROPYLENEGLYCOL DIBUTYRATE under CAS 50980-84-2 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number. 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.