Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Santalyl phenylacetate
Santalyl phenylacetate is an ester in the woody family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3008 (CAS 1323-75-7). Its odor is sweet, woody, floral, balsamic.
- FEMA
- 3008
- CAS
- 1323-75-7
- JECFA
- 1022
- EU FL
- 09.712
- EC
- 215-358-5
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 1323-75-7.
Structure
Under review
The structure for Santalyl phenylacetate is still under identity review, so no drawing is shown until the record is confirmed.
Identity
Also known as: Santalol, benzeneacetate, Acetic acid, phenyl-, santalyl ester, Santalyl phenylacetate, santalyl phenylacetate, santalol, benzeneacetate, [2-methyl-5-(2-methyl-3-methylidene-2-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptanyl)pent-2-enyl] 2-phenylacetate, 2-methyl-5-(2-methyl-3-methylidenebicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-yl)pent-2-en-1-yl phenylacetate.
Can Santalyl phenylacetate be labeled natural?
Santalyl phenylacetate occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: santalyl phenylacetate won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized santalyl phenylacetate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic santalyl phenylacetate 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
Santalyl phenylacetate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3008. 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 09.712, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1022, 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 phenylacetate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 1323-75-7, where EPA names it Santalol, benzeneacetate.
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, woody, floral, balsamic.
Taste: Sweet, smooth, slightly fruity.
Where it is used
Santalyl phenylacetate is used in fragrance, beverage, confection, personal care and aromatic products, typically as a woody note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Santalyl phenylacetate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santalyl acetate | 3007 | 80% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Guaiacol propionate · Santalyl acetate · Guaiacyl acetate · Propyl 2,4-decadienoate · Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate · l-Bornyl acetate
Santalyl phenylacetate FAQ
Is santalyl phenylacetate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3008 covers santalyl phenylacetate. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for santalyl phenylacetate?
The FEMA number for santalyl phenylacetate is 3008 and its CAS registry number is 1323-75-7. FEMA files it in the woody flavor category.
Is santalyl phenylacetate natural or artificial?
Since santalyl phenylacetate is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when santalyl phenylacetate is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic santalyl phenylacetate identical-to-natural.
Is santalyl phenylacetate approved in the EU?
Santalyl phenylacetate is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 09.712 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated santalyl phenylacetate?
Yes. JECFA number 1022, evaluated at the 59th meeting in 2002. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is santalyl phenylacetate used for?
Santalyl phenylacetate is described as sweet, woody, floral, balsamic. On the palate it is sweet, smooth, slightly fruity. It shows up in fragrance, beverage, confection, personal care and aromatic products.
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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 PHENYLACETATE under CAS 1323-75-7 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.