Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Rhodinyl isovalerate
Rhodinyl isovalerate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2987 (CAS 7778-96-3). Its odor is fruity, sweet, floral, apple, pear.
- FEMA
- 2987
- CAS
- 7778-96-3
- JECFA
- 77
- EU FL
- 09.465
- Formula
- C15H28O2
- EC
- 231-919-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 7778-96-3.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Butanoic acid, 3-methyl-, (3S)-3,7-dimethyl-7-octen-1-yl ester, Isovaleric acid, 3,7-dimethyl-7-octenyl ester, (-)-, Butanoic acid, 3-methyl-, 3,7-dimethyl-7-octenyl ester, (S)-, Butanoic acid, 3-methyl-, (3S)-3,7-dimethyl-7-octenyl ester, (3S)-3,7-Dimethyl-7-octen-1-yl 3-methylbutanoate, rhodinyl isopentanoate, rhodinyl isovalerianate, rhodinyl 3-methylbutanoate, butanoic acid, 3-methyl-, (3s)-3,7-dimethyl-7-octen-1-yl ester, isovaleric acid, 3,7-dimethyl-7-octenyl ester, (-)-, butanoic acid, 3-methyl-, (3s)-3,7-dimethyl-7-octenyl ester, 3,7-dimethyl-7-octen-1-yl 3-methylbutanoate.
Can Rhodinyl isovalerate be labeled natural?
The process decides for rhodinyl isovalerate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic rhodinyl isovalerate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic rhodinyl isovalerate 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
Rhodinyl isovalerate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2987. 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 09.465, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 77, evaluated at the 49th 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. Rhodinyl isovalerate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 7778-96-3, where EPA names it Butanoic acid, 3-methyl-, (3S)-3,7-dimethyl-7-octen-1-yl 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: Fruity, sweet, floral, apple, pear.
Where it is used
Rhodinyl isovalerate 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 Rhodinyl isovalerate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhodinyl butyrate | 2982 | 95% | In nature |
| Neryl isovalerate | 2778 | 88% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Menthyl valerate · Ethyl decanoate · Methyl 3-hydroxyhexanoate · Maltyl isobutyrate · (+/-)-Ethyl 3-mercapto-2-methylbutanoate · Piperonyl acetate
Rhodinyl isovalerate FAQ
Is rhodinyl isovalerate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2987 covers rhodinyl isovalerate. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for rhodinyl isovalerate?
The FEMA number for rhodinyl isovalerate is 2987 and its CAS registry number is 7778-96-3. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is rhodinyl isovalerate used for?
Rhodinyl isovalerate is described as fruity, sweet, floral, apple, pear. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and dairy.
What did JECFA conclude about rhodinyl isovalerate?
JECFA evaluated rhodinyl isovalerate at the 49th meeting in 2001 under JECFA number 77. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is rhodinyl isovalerate approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 09.465 is the Union List entry for rhodinyl isovalerate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is rhodinyl isovalerate natural or artificial?
Nature makes rhodinyl isovalerate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial rhodinyl isovalerate, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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 RHODINYL ISOVALERATE under CAS 7778-96-3 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.