ALLYL VALERATE

CAS: 6321-45-5 FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT

Allyl Valerate is a synthetic flavoring agent used to impart fruity notes in food. It is listed in the US Food and Drug Administration Substances Added to Food inventory and has a FEMA GRAS assessment. Limited explicit numeric regulatory values (such as ADI or specific CFR section) could not be verified with the available authoritative sources.

What It Is

Allyl Valerate is an ester compound primarily used in food flavoring applications. Chemically defined by the CAS number 6321-45-5, this substance belongs to the class of organic esters that provide sensory attributes such as aroma and taste enhancements when added to food products. Flavoring agents like Allyl Valerate are formulated to interact with food matrices at low concentrations to influence olfactory and gustatory perception. In regulatory inventories, Allyl Valerate is recognized as a flavoring agent or adjuvant rather than a nutrient or preservative substance. The structure and nomenclature of Allyl Valerate reflect its derivation from valeric acid and allyl alcohol moieties, which combine to yield an ester that contributes characteristic fruity or pineapple-like notes in formulation contexts, according to industrial sensory descriptions. Flavoring agents such as Allyl Valerate differ from natural flavor extracts by their synthetic origin and controlled use levels. Synthetic flavoring agents often replicate sensory notes found in natural sources but are manufactured to consistent purity and performance specifications. In food science and technology, these additives are carefully identified by systematic names and registry numbers (like CAS) to ensure precise communication about their identity, composition, and function across research, manufacturing, and regulatory frameworks. Allyl Valerate’s presence in flavor inventories reflects its established technical role in influencing flavor profiles of diverse products.

How It Is Made

The industrial production of Allyl Valerate typically involves esterification chemistry, a fundamental reaction between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid. In this case, allyl alcohol reacts with valeric acid under controlled conditions to form the ester linkage that defines Allyl Valerate. This process may utilize acid catalysts or other reaction optimizations to drive conversion and yield a product meeting specified purity thresholds for flavor applications. Quality control in manufacturing includes purification steps such as distillation or chromatography to remove unreacted starting materials, side products, and potential impurities that could affect sensory quality or safety. In commercial practice, manufacturers producing food-grade flavoring agents adhere to guidelines for chemical identity, analytical characterization, and documented specifications. Although exact proprietary synthesis conditions are trade information, the general reaction pathway exemplifies standard ester chemistry taught in organic synthesis. The resulting Allyl Valerate product is typically a clear liquid with characteristic fruity aroma, suitable for incorporation into flavor blends used by food formulators. Ensuring consistent quality across batches involves analytical tests such as gas chromatography to confirm composition and absence of undesirable contaminants.

Why It Is Used In Food

Allyl Valerate’s primary role in food is to contribute to the flavor profile of a product. Flavoring agents are added to enhance consumer sensory experience by providing or modifying aroma and taste attributes. In formulation science, certain compounds like Allyl Valerate are chosen because of their ability to evoke particular fruit-like or tropical nuances that can complement ingredients such as fruit juices, confections, beverages, and dairy-based desserts. The use of synthetic flavoring agents allows formulators to achieve consistent flavors without relying on natural extracts that may vary due to agricultural factors. Food technologists select flavoring agents based on sensory compatibility, stability in a given matrix, and performance under processing conditions such as heat and pH changes. Allyl Valerate’s chemical properties make it suitable for use in a wide range of products where subtle but distinct fruity notes are desired. Because flavor perception arises from a combination of volatile compounds interacting with taste receptors and olfactory pathways, even low use levels of specific esters can significantly influence the overall consumer perception of a product. Manufacturers balance such functional benefits with regulatory constraints on use, ensuring that additions are both effective and compliant with applicable food safety frameworks.

Adi Example Calculation

An illustrative calculation of estimated intake (not a recommendation) helps explain how exposure numbers are considered relative to safety benchmarks: if a hypothetical flavoring agent were present at 1 milligram per kilogram of food, and an individual weighing 70 kilograms consumed 1 kilogram of such food in a day, total intake would be 70 milligrams. If a regulatory ADI were, for example, 2 milligrams per kilogram body weight for a different substance, the total intake in this hypothetical scenario (70 mg) would be compared with that ADI (140 mg for a 70 kg individual) to gauge whether exposure falls below the safety threshold. Because Allyl Valerate does not have an explicitly verified numeric ADI in the authoritative sources d here, this calculation serves only to illustrate the general concept of how intake might be estimated relative to an ADI for a substance that does have one.

Safety And Health Research

Safety evaluations for flavoring agents like Allyl Valerate focus on hazard identification and exposure assessment. Regulators and expert panels typically review data on metabolism, toxicology, genotoxicity, and chronic exposure outcomes to determine whether routine use as a flavoring agent poses a risk under intended conditions of use. Expert panel assessments for flavoring agents consider typical exposure levels based on food consumption patterns and the compound’s likely metabolic fate. For many flavoring esters, low use levels and efficient metabolic detoxication contribute to a perception of low safety concern in regulatory contexts. However, specific toxicological studies on Allyl Valerate itself, such as chronic rodent bioassays or reproductive toxicity assessments, are generally not publicly available through open authoritative sources. Many flavoring agents are instead evaluated using structural class approaches, where data from similar compounds informs safety conclusions. This approach is common in international safety evaluation frameworks for the large number of structurally related flavoring substances. The cautious narrative above reflects the available evidence: while Allyl Valerate is included in expert panel flavor inventories and appears in regulatory catalogs, explicit primary toxicological data to support specific numeric safety metrics (such as an ADI) could not be identified in the available authoritative sources.

Regulatory Status Worldwide

In the United States, Allyl Valerate appears in the Food and Drug Administration’s Substances Added to Food inventory (formerly EAFUS), which catalogs flavoring substances that have been the subject of GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) assessments by expert panels such as the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). This listing indicates that it has been evaluated for use as a flavoring agent under conditions of intended use but does not itself constitute a specific regulatory approval statement with numeric limits. The FDA inventory does not assign a unique CFR section to Allyl Valerate; instead, synthetic flavoring substances as a class are addressed broadly in regulations that emphasize good manufacturing practice and minimum use levels appropriate to achieve the intended effect, with examples provided in Title 21 CFR 172.515 for synthetic flavoring substances and adjuvants. However, Allyl Valerate itself is not specifically enumerated in that list. Elsewhere, regulatory frameworks such as those maintained by ECHA include Allyl Valerate as a registered chemical under general chemical regulation schemes, although this pertains to broad chemical management rather than specific food additive approval. International food additive evaluators such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) maintain databases of flavoring substance specifications, but without direct evidence of a unique JECFA evaluation entry for Allyl Valerate, specific JECFA numerical designations (such as an INS number or ADI) cannot be confirmed here. Within the flavor industry, organizations like FEMA maintain flavor ingredient libraries that summarize safety assessments for substances including Allyl Valerate. These regulatory contexts illustrate that Allyl Valerate is recognized and used within structured safety review processes, even if explicit numeric regulatory values are not universally codified in all jurisdictions.

Taste And Functional Properties

Allyl Valerate is described in flavor industry references as having a fruity, pineapple-like aroma profile, making it useful in flavor blends that require such sensory characteristics. The functional behavior of this compound in food systems depends on its volatility and solubility properties; as an ester, it tends to partition into the headspace of aromatic mixtures, contributing strongly to perceived aroma without significantly altering other organoleptic properties like texture or sweetness. High-quality flavoring compounds are selected not only for their inherent sensory notes but also for their stability during processing and storage, which can include exposure to heat, light, and varying pH levels. In general, flavoring esters are chosen for their predictable sensory contributions at low concentrations. The sensory impact of Allyl Valerate remains noticeable even at trace levels, which is typical for many volatile flavor compounds. However, functional properties also include considerations such as compatibility with other ingredients, non-reactivity under typical food processing conditions, and minimal impact on nutritional or physical characteristics of the final product. As with other flavoring agents, formulators evaluate these aspects to ensure that the desired sensory outcome is achieved consistently across batches of finished goods.

Acceptable Daily Intake Explained

An Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) is a risk assessment construct used by food safety authorities to indicate the amount of a substance that can be consumed daily over a lifetime without appreciable health risk, typically expressed in milligrams of the substance per kilogram of body weight. For many food additives and flavoring agents, ADIs are established based on toxicology studies and application of safety factors to account for uncertainties in extrapolating from animal data to human populations. In the case of Allyl Valerate, a specific numeric ADI could not be confidently verified from the authoritative sources available here, so no explicit ADI value is provided. Flavoring agents are often used at very low levels in food, and exposure is estimated based on typical use levels in various product categories. Regulatory bodies and expert panels consider such exposure data along with toxicological profiles to judge whether routine intake is unlikely to pose safety concerns. The lack of a specific numeric ADI for Allyl Valerate in the current authoritative evidence base means that exposure assessments rely on broader contextual evaluation of safety and use patterns rather than a fixed numerical threshold.

Comparison With Similar Additives

Allyl Valerate is one of numerous ester-based flavoring agents used in food formulations. Esters such as ethyl butyrate, methyl butyrate, and propyl acetate also contribute fruity or sweet aromatic notes and share functional traits with Allyl Valerate. Compared with shorter-chain esters like ethyl butyrate, Allyl Valerate’s longer carbon chain influences its volatility and sensory profile, often leading to slightly different aroma nuances that can complement specific flavor targets. Another structurally related additive, allyl butyrate, is likewise used for its fruity odor and is included among synthetic flavoring substances evaluated in regulatory contexts. When comparing flavoring agents, formulators consider sensory strength, compatibility with the food matrix, and regulatory status rather than numeric safety thresholds alone. Many flavoring esters are evaluated as a group by expert panels, with decisions informed by common metabolic pathways and exposure patterns. Allyl Valerate’s role within this broader set of esters reflects shared functional use, while its specific sensory contributions differentiate it within application niches such as tropical fruit flavor blends.

Common Food Applications Narrative

Food manufacturers often integrate flavoring agents to create or enhance the sensory profile of a product. Allyl Valerate, with its distinctive fruity notes, finds application in categories of foods where a tropical or sweet aroma is desirable. Examples of such applications include fruit-flavored beverages, confectionery items, dairy desserts, and baked goods. In fruit-flavored beverages, the addition of Allyl Valerate helps simulate or intensify fruit essence, contributing to a more appealing aroma and taste experience for consumers. Whether in non-alcoholic soft drinks or ready-to-drink fruit punches, the compound’s volatile nature assists in delivering perceptible flavor at relatively low concentrations. In confectionery and sweet baked goods, flavoring agents like Allyl Valerate complement sugar and other aromatic ingredients to evoke familiar fruit sensations without relying exclusively on natural extracts. This is particularly useful in products where consistency and cost-effectiveness are important, such as mass-produced candies, flavored syrups, and dessert toppings. Dairy-based frozen desserts like ice creams or sorbets may also incorporate fruity esters to balance creamy mouthfeel with bright aromatic notes, enhancing overall appeal. In each context, food technologists consider the interaction of flavor molecules with base ingredients, ensuring that the intended sensory characteristic persists through production, storage, and consumption.

Safety & Regulations

FDA

  • Notes: Specific CFR section for Allyl Valerate could not be verified on the d FDA regulation page; synthetic flavoring substances in general are addressed in CFR 172.515 but Allyl Valerate is not individually listed there on the d source.

EFSA

  • Notes: No explicit EFSA evaluation or ADI numeric value could be verified from the available authoritative sources.

JECFA

  • Notes: No specific JECFA evaluation entry with numeric ADI or INS number for Allyl Valerate could be verified in the JECFA database.

Sources

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