Flavor ingredient regulatory record
trans-4-Hexenal
trans-4-Hexenal is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4046 (CAS 25166-87-4). Its odor is green, grassy, fruity, fresh, herbal.
- FEMA
- 4046
- CAS
- 25166-87-4
- JECFA
- 1622
- EU FL
- 05.224
- Formula
- C6H10O
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 21. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 25166-87-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 4-Hexenal, (4E)-, 4-Hexenal, (E)-, (4E)-4-Hexenal, (E)-4-Hexenal, 4-hexenal, 4-hexenal, (4e)-, 4-hexenal, (e)-, 4-hexenal, trans-, 4-hexenal trans, trans-4-hexenal [fhfi], trans-4-hexenal, (e)-and (z)-, (e)-hex-4-enal.
Can trans-4-Hexenal be labeled natural?
Since trans-4-Hexenal is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when trans-4-Hexenal is synthesized. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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
trans-4-Hexenal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4046. 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 05.224, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1622, evaluated at the 73rd meeting in 2007. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Green, grassy, fruity, fresh, herbal.
Where it is used
trans-4-Hexenal is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to trans-4-Hexenal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| cis-4-Hexenal | 3496 | 100% | In nature |
| 3-Hexenal | 3923 | 99% | In nature |
| cis-3-Hexenal | 2561 | 99% | In nature |
| (E,E)-2,4-Hexadienal | 3429 | 97% | In nature |
| 2-Hexenal | 2560 | 97% | In nature |
More aldehydes in this index
(E)-4-Undecenal · 3,7,11-Trimethyl-2,6,10-dodecatrienal · trans-2-Decenal · Decanal dimethyl acetal · 2-trans,6-trans Nonadienal · 2-Hexylidenehexanal
trans-4-Hexenal FAQ
Is trans-4-Hexenal on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 4046 covers trans-4-Hexenal. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for trans-4-Hexenal?
The FEMA number for trans-4-Hexenal is 4046 and its CAS registry number is 25166-87-4. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is trans-4-Hexenal natural or artificial?
trans-4-Hexenal occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: trans-4-Hexenal won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized trans-4-Hexenal 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.
Is trans-4-Hexenal approved in the EU?
trans-4-Hexenal is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 05.224 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated trans-4-Hexenal?
Yes. JECFA number 1622, evaluated at the 73rd meeting in 2007. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is trans-4-Hexenal used for?
trans-4-Hexenal is described as green, grassy, fruity, fresh, herbal. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and savory dishes.
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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 TRANS-4-HEXENAL under CAS 25166-87-4 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.