Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso-
Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- is an acid in the acidic family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3044 (CAS 133-37-9). Its odor is sour, tart, citrus, fruity.
- FEMA
- 3044
- CAS
- 133-37-9
- JECFA
- 621
- EU FL
- 08.018
- Formula
- C4H6O6
- EC
- 201-766-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 87-69-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Butanedioic acid, 2,3-dihydroxy-, (2R,3R)-rel-, Tartaric acid, (±)-, Butanedioic acid, 2,3-dihydroxy-, (R*,R*)-(±)-, rel-(2R,3R)-2,3-Dihydroxybutanedioic acid, Paratartaric acid, Racemic acid, Racemic tartaric acid, Uvic acid, DL-Tartaric acid, dl-Tartaric acid, (±)-Tartaric acid, (2RS,3RS)-Tartaric acid.
Can Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- be labeled natural?
Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- 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
Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3044. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 184.1099.
European Union and United Kingdom
Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.018, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 621.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list. Listed on the EPA TSCA inventory.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 133-37-9, where EPA names it Butanedioic acid, 2,3-dihydroxy-, (2R,3R)-rel-.
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: Sour, tart, citrus, fruity.
Where it is used
Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and baked goods, typically as a acidic note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| L-Malic Acid | 2655 | 93% | In nature |
| L-Aspartic acid | 3656 | 88% | In nature |
| Erythritol | 4819 | 83% | In nature |
More acids in this index
Adipic acid · Pyruvic acid · Benzoic acid · Lactic acid · Acetic acid · Fumaric acid
Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- FAQ
Is Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3044 covers Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso-. It is also codified at 21 CFR 184.1099.
What is the FEMA number for Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso-?
The FEMA number for Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- is 3044 and its CAS registry number is 133-37-9. FEMA files it in the acidic flavor category.
Is Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- natural or artificial?
Since Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- identical-to-natural.
Is Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- approved in the EU?
Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 08.018 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso-?
Yes. JECFA number 621.
What is Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- used for?
Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- is described as sour, tart, citrus, fruity. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and baked goods.
Ingredient lookup
Check an ingredient
Start typing to search the ingredient corpus.
Or browse every ingredient page, A to Z.
Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
Check Tartaric acid (+)-, (-)-, (+/-)-, meso- in a formula
Screened against FEMA GRAS, 21 CFR and EU rules as you build. Free to start.
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 TARTARIC ACID, L under CAS 87-69-4 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 anticaking agent or free-flow agent, drying agent, firming agent, flavor enhancer, flavoring agent or adjuvant, humectant, leavening agent, ph control agent.
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.