Flavor ingredient regulatory record
WS-3
WS-3 is an amide in the cooling family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3455 (CAS 39711-79-0).
- FEMA
- 3455
- CAS
- 39711-79-0
- JECFA
- 1601
- EU FL
- 16.013
- Formula
- C13H25NO
- EC
- 254-599-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 9, 18. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 39711-79-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: N-ethyl-p-menthane-3-carboxamide, cooling agent 3, n-ethyl-p-menthane-3-carboxamide, n-ethyl-2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexanecarboxamide, ethyl menthane carboxamide, cyclohexanecarboxamide, n-ethyl-5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-, n-ethyl-2-(isopropyl)-5-methylcyclohexanecarboxamide, n-ethyl-5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)cyclohexanecarboxamide, n-ethyl-5-methyl-2-(propan-2-yl)cyclohexane-1-carboxamide, ethyl menthane carboxamide [mi], n-ethyl-5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-cyclohexane-carboxamide, ethyl-2-isopropyl-5-methylcyclohexane carboxamide [fhfi].
Can WS-3 be labeled natural?
The process decides for WS-3. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic WS-3 is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic WS-3 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
WS-3 is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3455. 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 16.013, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1601, evaluated at the 64th meeting in 2005. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. WS-3 appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 39711-79-0, where EPA names it Cyclohexanecarboxamide, N-ethyl-5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-.
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
Taste: Clean cooling, no minty flavor.
Where it is used
WS-3 is used in confection, beverage and oral care, typically as a cooling note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to WS-3 by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| N-[(Ethoxycarbonyl)methyl)-p-menthane-3-carboxamide | 4309 | 75% | Not determined |
| N-(2-(Pyridin-2-yl)ethyl)-3-p-menthanecarboxamide | 4549 | 68% | Not determined |
| Menthyl propionate | 4510 | 67% | Not determined |
| (1R,2S,5R)-N-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)cyclohexanecarboxamide | 4681 | 67% | Not determined |
| Menthyl isovalerate | 2669 | 66% | In nature |
More amides in this index
N-(2-Methylcyclohexyl)-2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzamide · N-(Heptan-4-yl)benzo[d][1,3]dioxole-5-carboxamide · N1-(2-Methoxy-4-methylbenzyl)-N2-(2-(5-methylpyridin-2-yl)ethyl)oxalamide · N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)galactonamide · (2S,5R)-N-[4-(2-Amino-2-oxoethyl)phenyl]-5-methyl-2-(propan-2-yl)cyclohexanecarboxamide · N-Cyclopropyl (E)-2,(Z)-6-nonadienamide
WS-3 FAQ
Is WS-3 on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3455 covers WS-3. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for WS-3?
The FEMA number for WS-3 is 3455 and its CAS registry number is 39711-79-0. Its flavor category is cooling.
What did JECFA conclude about WS-3?
JECFA evaluated WS-3 at the 64th meeting in 2005 under JECFA number 1601. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is WS-3 approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 16.013 is the Union List entry for WS-3, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is WS-3 natural or artificial?
Nature makes WS-3, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial WS-3, 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 N-ETHYL-2-ISOPROPYL-5-METHYLCYCLOHEXANE CARBOXAMIDE under CAS 39711-79-0 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number. The inventory is searchable at FDA. FDA records its technical effect as flavor enhancer, 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.