Flavor ingredient regulatory record
trans-Anethole
trans-Anethole is a phenol ether in the herbal family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2086 (CAS 4180-23-8). Its odor is anise, licorice, sweet, fennel.
- FEMA
- 2086
- CAS
- 4180-23-8
- JECFA
- 217
- EU FL
- 04.010
- Formula
- C10H12O
- EC
- 224-052-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 4180-23-8.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzene, 1-methoxy-4-(1E)-1-propen-1-yl-, Anisole, p-propenyl-, (E)-, Benzene, 1-methoxy-4-(1-propenyl)-, (E)-, Benzene, 1-methoxy-4-(1E)-1-propenyl-, 1-Methoxy-4-(1E)-1-propen-1-ylbenzene, trans-Anethol, trans-1-(p-Methoxyphenyl)propene, trans-1-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-1-propene, trans-p-Methoxy-β-methylstyrene, (E)-Anethole, trans-p-Anethole, (E)-1-(4-Methoxyphenyl)propene.
Can trans-Anethole be labeled natural?
Since trans-Anethole is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when trans-Anethole is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic trans-Anethole 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-Anethole is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2086. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 182.60.
European Union and United Kingdom
Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 04.010, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 217, evaluated at the 49th meeting in 1997. ADI 0 to 2 mg/kg body weight.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. trans-Anethole appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 4180-23-8, where EPA names it Benzene, 1-methoxy-4-(1E)-1-propen-1-yl-.
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: Anise, licorice, sweet, fennel.
Taste: Sweet anise, licorice.
Where it is used
trans-Anethole is used in anise, licorice and fennel, typically as a herbal note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to trans-Anethole by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| p-Propylanisole | 2930 | 85% | In nature |
| Isoeugenyl methyl ether | 2476 | 84% | In nature |
| Isoeugenol | 2468 | 77% | In nature |
| 4-Propenylphenol | 4062 | 77% | In nature |
| p-Methoxy-alpha-methyl-cinnamaldehyde | 3182 | 69% | In nature |
More phenol ethers in this index
trans-Anethole FAQ
Does trans-Anethole have FEMA GRAS status?
trans-Anethole holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 2086. It is also codified at 21 CFR 182.60.
How do I cite trans-Anethole by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite trans-Anethole as FEMA 2086 or CAS 4180-23-8; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the herbal flavor category.
Can trans-Anethole be labeled a natural flavor?
trans-Anethole occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: trans-Anethole won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized trans-Anethole is artificial. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material identical-to-natural.
Can trans-Anethole be used in the EU and UK?
trans-Anethole is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 04.010 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated trans-Anethole?
Yes. JECFA number 217, evaluated at the 49th meeting in 1997.
What does trans-Anethole smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of trans-Anethole is anise, licorice, sweet, fennel. On the palate it is sweet anise, licorice. Typical uses are anise, licorice and fennel.
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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-ANETHOLE under CAS 4180-23-8 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.