Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Tributyl acetylcitrate
Tributyl acetylcitrate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3080 (CAS 77-90-7). Its odor is sweet, fruity, tropical, citrus, estery.
- FEMA
- 3080
- CAS
- 77-90-7
- JECFA
- 630
- EU FL
- 09.511
- Formula
- C20H34O8
- EC
- 201-067-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 77-90-7.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-(acetyloxy)-, 1,2,3-tributyl ester, Citric acid, tributyl ester, acetate, 1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-(acetyloxy)-, tributyl ester, 2-Acetoxy-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylic acid tributyl ester, Acetyl tributyl citrate, Citroflex A 4, Tributyl 2-acetoxy-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylate, Citroflex A, Tributyl citrate acetate, Tributyl 2-(acetyloxy)-1,2,3-propanetricarboxylic acid, Tributyl O-acetylcitrate, Blo-trol.
Can Tributyl acetylcitrate be labeled natural?
Tributyl acetylcitrate occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: tributyl acetylcitrate won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized tributyl acetylcitrate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic tributyl acetylcitrate 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
Tributyl acetylcitrate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3080. 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 09.511, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 630, evaluated at the 53rd meeting in 1999. 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. Tributyl acetylcitrate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 77-90-7, where EPA names it 1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-(acetyloxy)-, 1,2,3-tributyl ester.
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, fruity, tropical, citrus, estery.
Where it is used
Tributyl acetylcitrate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Tributyl acetylcitrate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triethyl citrate | 3083 | 86% | In nature |
| Tributyrin | 2223 | 85% | In nature |
More esters in this index
(E,Z)-3,6-Nonadien-1-ol acetate · Triethyl citrate · trans-3-Hexenyl acetate · cis-3-Hexenyl valerate · (Z)-3-Hexenyl 2-oxopropionate · Bornyl isovalerate
Tributyl acetylcitrate FAQ
Is tributyl acetylcitrate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3080 covers tributyl acetylcitrate. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for tributyl acetylcitrate?
The FEMA number for tributyl acetylcitrate is 3080 and its CAS registry number is 77-90-7. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is tributyl acetylcitrate natural or artificial?
Since tributyl acetylcitrate is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when tributyl acetylcitrate is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic tributyl acetylcitrate identical-to-natural.
Is tributyl acetylcitrate approved in the EU?
Tributyl acetylcitrate is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 09.511 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated tributyl acetylcitrate?
Yes. JECFA number 630, evaluated at the 53rd meeting in 1999. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is tributyl acetylcitrate used for?
Tributyl acetylcitrate is described as sweet, fruity, tropical, citrus, estery. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and desserts.
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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 TRIBUTYL ACETYLCITRATE under CAS 77-90-7 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.