Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Santalyl acetate
Santalyl acetate is an ester in the woody family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3007 (CAS 1323-00-8). Its odor is sweet, woody, creamy, balsamic, floral.
- FEMA
- 3007
- CAS
- 1323-00-8
- JECFA
- 985
- EU FL
- 09.034
- Formula
- C34H52O4
- EC
- 215-349-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 1323-00-8.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Santalol, acetate, Santalyl acetate, santalyl acetate [fcc], santalyl acetate alpha-and beta-, santalyl acetate (.alpha. and .beta.), santalyl acetate .alpha.-and .beta.-[fhfi], 2-methyl-5-(2-methyl-3-methylidenebicyclo(2.2.1)heptan-2-yl)pent-2-en-1-yl acetate, 2-methyl-5-{2-methyl-3-methylidenebicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-yl}pent-2-en-1-yl acetate, santalyl acetate, [2-methyl-5-(2-methyl-3-methylidene-2-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptanyl)pent-2-enyl] acetate.
Can Santalyl acetate be labeled natural?
The process decides for santalyl acetate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic santalyl acetate is artificial. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
- 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
Santalyl acetate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3007. 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 09.034, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 985, evaluated at the 59th meeting in 2002. 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. Santalyl acetate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 1323-00-8, where EPA names it Santalol, acetate.
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: Sweet, woody, creamy, balsamic, floral.
Taste: Sweet, smooth, slightly woody.
Where it is used
Santalyl acetate is used in fragrance, beverage, confection, personal care and flavoring, typically as a woody note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Santalyl acetate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santalol | 3006 | 85% | In nature |
| Santalyl phenylacetate | 3008 | 80% | In nature |
| Allyl alpha-ionone | 2033 | 77% | In nature |
| Bornyl isovalerate | 2165 | 76% | In nature |
| Nootkatone | 3166 | 76% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Santalyl phenylacetate · Guaiacyl acetate · Guaiacol propionate · Ethyl methyl-p-tolylglycidate · 3-Octyl butyrate · Lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propylene glycol
Santalyl acetate FAQ
Does santalyl acetate have FEMA GRAS status?
Santalyl acetate holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3007. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite santalyl acetate by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite santalyl acetate as FEMA 3007 or CAS 1323-00-8; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is woody.
What does santalyl acetate smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of santalyl acetate is sweet, woody, creamy, balsamic, floral. On the palate it is sweet, smooth, slightly woody. Typical uses are fragrance, beverage, confection, personal care and flavoring.
What did JECFA conclude about santalyl acetate?
JECFA evaluated santalyl acetate at the 59th meeting in 2002 under JECFA number 985. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Can santalyl acetate be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 09.034 is the Union List entry for santalyl acetate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can santalyl acetate be labeled a natural flavor?
Nature makes santalyl acetate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial santalyl acetate, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic santalyl acetate identical-to-natural.
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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 SANTALYL ACETATE under CAS 1323-00-8 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.