CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID

CAS: 41653-97-8 FLAVORING AGENT OR ADJUVANT

CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID is a flavoring agent or adjuvant with CAS 41653-97-8 used in food applications for sensory modification. It appears on the FDA Substances Added to Food list and has a JECFA flavor number designation reflecting international evaluation for flavor use.

What It Is

CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID is a chemical compound identified by the CAS number 41653-97-8 and classified as a flavoring agent or adjuvant in food products. It is chemically a monounsaturated fatty acid isomer, specifically a cis-configured eight-carbon unsaturated acid with a single double bond at the 5-position. This molecule is included in flavor ingredient libraries and databases where it is noted for its fatty or greasy sensory impression and use in certain flavor contexts. In regulatory inventories such as the FDA Substances Added to Food list, CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID is listed with its CAS and technical function as a flavoring agent or adjuvant. The compound appears in other scientific repositories under synonyms that reflect its configuration and chemical structure, including (Z)-5-octenoic acid. Its recognition in flavoring inventories reflects its identification by expert panels considering its role and safety in food formulations. The presence of this ingredient in authoritative lists signals it is of interest in food science and regulatory evaluation for flavor use.

How It Is Made

CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID can be synthesized through established organic chemistry procedures that produce unsaturated fatty acids with defined geometries. A typical approach to obtain such an unsaturated carboxylic acid is via oxidation of the corresponding aldehyde precursor, where an eight-carbon chain containing a double bond at the intended position is selectively functionalized to introduce the carboxylic acid group. Catalytic oxidation methods using controlled oxidants can yield the desired cis-configured 5-octenoic acid. In industrial practice, such reactions are designed to maximize yield and minimize formation of unwanted isomers. Purification steps such as distillation or chromatography help achieve the high purity required for flavoring-grade materials. In practice, the compound used in flavor applications conforms to specifications documented in international flavoring specifications databases, where criteria for identity and purity are detailed. Manufacturers and suppliers producing this substance for flavor use undertake quality assurance measures to meet these specification requirements. Although there are no proprietary manufacturing secrets disclosed, the general process involves building the carbon chain to eight carbons with careful control of reaction stereochemistry and subsequent functional group transformation to yield the carboxylic acid form. Documentation from flavor specification sources outlines the physical attributes and identity requirements reflecting controlled production practices.

Why It Is Used In Food

CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID is used in food because it contributes to the flavor profile of certain products, offering specific sensory characteristics that enhance or modify taste. In formulations where nuanced fatty or greasy notes are desired, particularly in savory or complex flavor systems, this acid can act as a component that interacts with other flavorings to achieve a targeted sensory outcome. It functions as a flavoring agent or adjuvant, meaning it either contributes directly to the perceived taste or assists other flavor compounds in achieving the intended balance. Foods with multi-dimensional flavor targets may include such fatty acid derivatives to round out or accentuate certain aromatic qualities. In product categories like snack seasonings, sauces, or baked goods where complex flavor layering is essential, the use of carefully measured amounts of CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID can support a desired flavor character. The rationale for using such agents in food is based on sensory science and formulation experience, where developers select from a palette of compounds to achieve the preferred organoleptic profile. Its inclusion in regulatory inventories underscores that it has been considered for these roles under expert review. The compound is one among many flavoring acids and esters that food scientists can employ when designing flavorful products that meet consumer expectations.

Adi Example Calculation

Because a specific numeric acceptable daily intake (ADI) has not been published in the available authoritative flavor specification sources for CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID, an illustrative calculation using a numeric ADI is not applicable. In general, for substances with defined ADIs, intake calculations involve multiplying body weight by the numeric ADI to estimate a theoretical safe daily intake. For example, if a compound had an ADI of X mg per kilogram of body weight, a person weighing 70 kilograms could theoretically tolerate up to 70 times X milligrams per day. In the absence of a published numeric ADI for this flavoring acid, safety considerations emphasize its typical use at low levels in food formulations rather than a prescriptive daily intake number. This illustrates the approach regulators and expert bodies may take when specific numeric guidance is not established but controlled use is accepted within defined application contexts.

Safety And Health Research

Safety and health research on CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID relevant to its use as a flavoring agent focuses on evaluations performed by expert committees and inclusion in authoritative flavoring specifications. Flavoring agents are assessed for aspects such as toxicological endpoints, potential for irritation, and metabolic considerations when consumed at the low levels typical of flavor use. Available specification documents identify the chemical identity and purity criteria for CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID as a flavoring substance. Expert panels that contribute to flavor inventories review available toxicological data and exposure context to determine whether use is consistent with safety expectations. The compound's inclusion in recognized inventories such as the FDA Substances Added to Food list and flavor specification catalogs signals that it has undergone scrutiny appropriate for flavor use, although extensive public toxicological datasets may not be widely available. As with many specific flavoring agents, comprehensive health research publications focusing on endpoints like chronic toxicity or reproductive effects are less prominent, and the safety understanding is derived from cumulative expert evaluation processes. This means that while regulatory and flavor expert bodies consider available evidence when listing such substances for flavor use, detailed human health research specific to this compound at flavor use levels may be limited in publicly accessible literature.

Regulatory Status Worldwide

CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID appears on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Substances Added to Food list with its CAS number and technical effect as a flavoring agent or adjuvant, indicating recognition in the inventory but not constituting an explicit GRAS status or specific regulation section published in the Code of Federal Regulations. It is associated with a FEMA number used by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association for GRAS evaluation contexts, reflecting expert review for flavor use. Internationally, flavor specification resources maintained by the FAO and WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives provide identification and specification information for this compound in the context of flavorings. However, detailed regulatory authorizations such as explicit permission under specific regulatory codes or numeric ADI values from global bodies like EFSA or JECFA are not prominently published for this ingredient in the available sources. Therefore, regulatory status worldwide should be interpreted as recognized and cataloged for flavor use with expert evaluation context, but not accompanied by detailed numeric safety limits in the public regulatory records.

Taste And Functional Properties

CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID has sensory properties that are described as fatty or greasy with a medium strength odor when evaluated at defined concentrations. These characteristics make it suitable for specific flavor applications where such notes are beneficial. Its solubility profile includes slight solubility in water and higher solubility in organic solvents, consistent with its fatty acid nature. In formulations, it can interact with other flavor compounds to support overall flavor complexity, and its contribution is often subtle, intended to modify the taste perception rather than dominate the sensory experience. Functionally, fatty acids like CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID can influence mouthfeel and aroma volatility when incorporated into food matrices, affecting how flavors are released during consumption. Its stability under typical processing conditions depends on factors like temperature and pH, with fatty acids generally being stable within the ranges encountered in many food processes, although extreme conditions may alter their chemical integrity. The use of this compound in combination with other flavor agents allows flavorists to fine-tune product profiles by adding depth or balancing sharper notes. Because of its physical and chemical properties, flavor professionals consider it as part of a toolkit to achieve specific sensory targets in product development.

Acceptable Daily Intake Explained

The concept of acceptable daily intake (ADI) is used by regulatory and expert bodies to express the amount of a substance that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without appreciable risk, typically incorporating safety factors based on toxicological studies. For CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID, specific numeric ADI values established by bodies such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives or the European Food Safety Authority are not prominently published in the available flavor specification records. In such cases, regulatory status reflects expert evaluation of safety at expected use levels rather than a defined numeric ADI. The absence of a published ADI for this compound indicates that detailed intake limits may not have been established in the available public regulatory sources, and safety assessments emphasize controlled use within flavor formulation practices. When ADIs are present for other food additives, they help risk managers and formulators understand exposure boundaries, but for ingredients without public numeric ADIs, safety relies on expert evaluation context and conservative formulation practices that ensure exposure remains low. This approach acknowledges that flavoring agents like CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID are used at trace levels where typical dietary exposure is minimal compared to substances with established numerical ADIs.

Comparison With Similar Additives

CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID can be compared with other fatty acid-derived flavoring agents that share functional roles in flavor systems. For instance, medium-chain fatty acids like octanoic acid and hexanoic acid are also used in flavor formulations where their characteristic sensory notes contribute to complexity. Octanoic acid may impart a more pronounced fatty or cheesy note, while hexanoic acid has a short, pungent aroma profile, and CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID offers a somewhat balanced greasy note with less dominance, enabling nuanced applications. Compared with esters such as ethyl butyrate or ethyl hexanoate, which provide fruity and sweet notes, CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID serves a different role in adding depth or supporting savory characteristics. Another comparator is cis-3-hexenoic acid, which often features green or leafy notes, contrasting with the fatty attributes of CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID. Formulators select among these and other compounds based on the target sensory profile, recognizing that functional contributions differ in aroma quality, volatility, and interaction with other flavor components. Understanding such differences helps flavor professionals design blends that meet specific product goals.

Common Food Applications Narrative

In the broad landscape of food applications, CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID is recognized for its role as a component in flavor systems that require nuanced sensory modulation. As a flavoring agent or adjuvant, it finds utility in a range of product categories where subtle fatty or aromatic notes contribute to the overall taste experience. For example, in savory snack seasonings, formulation chemists may include this acid as part of a complex flavor blend to achieve a well-rounded profile that complements salt and spice elements. In baked goods, certain flavor formulations may leverage its sensory properties to enhance richness or depth without overwhelming the base flavors. Confectionery products with layered flavor profiles may also benefit from the inclusion of such compounds to balance sweetness with added dimension. Beyond these categories, sauces and dressings that aim for complexity can incorporate fatty acid derivatives to support the desired aromatic character. Even in some dairy-based products or frozen desserts, where creaminess and subtle notes are important, flavor technicians may explore the controlled use of CIS-5-OCTENOIC ACID within the permissible formulation space. Although not ubiquitous across all foods, its targeted use illustrates how specific flavoring agents are selected for their ability to refine and support the sensory identity of diverse products.

Safety & Regulations

FDA

  • Notes: Listed in FDA Substances Added to Food inventory but no explicit CFR approval section available.

EFSA

  • Notes: No EFSA numeric ADI or E number available in public sources.

JECFA

  • Notes: JECFA flavor specification exists but no numeric ADI publicly provided.

Sources

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