Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Triethyl citrate
Triethyl citrate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3083 (CAS 77-93-0). Its odor is sweet, fruity, citrus, estery, fresh.
- FEMA
- 3083
- CAS
- 77-93-0
- JECFA
- 629
- EU FL
- 09.512
- Formula
- C12H20O7
- EC
- 201-070-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 77-93-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-hydroxy-, 1,2,3-triethyl ester, Citric acid, triethyl ester, 1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-hydroxy-, triethyl ester, Citroflex 2, Ethyl citrate, Hydragen CAT, Eudraflex, Citroflex C 2, Citroflex EC, NSC 8907, Morflex C 2, Citrofol AI.
Can Triethyl citrate be labeled natural?
The process decides for triethyl citrate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic triethyl citrate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic triethyl citrate 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
Triethyl citrate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3083. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 184.1911.
European Union and United Kingdom
Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 09.512, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 629, evaluated at the 53rd meeting in 1999. ADI 0 to 20 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. Triethyl citrate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 77-93-0, where EPA names it 1,2,3-Propanetricarboxylic acid, 2-hydroxy-, 1,2,3-triethyl 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, citrus, estery, fresh.
Where it is used
Triethyl citrate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and dairy, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Triethyl citrate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tributyl acetylcitrate | 3080 | 77% | In nature |
| Tributyrin | 2223 | 76% | In nature |
| Diethyl tartrate | 2378 | 68% | In nature |
| Glucose pentaacetate | 2524 | 63% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Ethyl 3-(methylthio)-trans-2-propenoate · Butyl butyryllactate · Ethyl maltol isobutyrate · Benzyl formate · Phenethyl propionate · Isoamyl phenylacetate
Triethyl citrate FAQ
Is triethyl citrate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3083 covers triethyl citrate. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 184.1911.
What is the FEMA number for triethyl citrate?
The FEMA number for triethyl citrate is 3083 and its CAS registry number is 77-93-0. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is triethyl citrate used for?
Triethyl citrate is described as sweet, fruity, citrus, estery, fresh. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and dairy.
What did JECFA conclude about triethyl citrate?
JECFA evaluated triethyl citrate at the 53rd meeting in 1999 under JECFA number 629.
Is triethyl citrate approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 09.512 is the Union List entry for triethyl citrate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is triethyl citrate natural or artificial?
Nature makes triethyl citrate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial triethyl citrate, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material identical-to-natural.
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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 TRIETHYL CITRATE under CAS 77-93-0 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 flavor enhancer, flavoring agent or adjuvant, formulation aid, sequestrant, solvent or vehicle.
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.