What is Acetaldehyde 1,3-octanediol Acetal?
Acetaldehyde 1,3-octanediol acetal (CAS Number: 202188-43-0) is a synthetic organic compound classified as a flavoring agent. It is an acetal formed from the reaction of acetaldehyde and 1,3-octanediol, a naturally-derived diol. This compound belongs to the broader category of acetals and hemiacetals used in the flavor and fragrance industry to create or enhance specific taste and aroma profiles in food products.
Common Uses
Acetaldehyde 1,3-octanediol acetal is used as a flavoring agent or flavor adjuvant in various processed foods and beverages. Its primary function is to contribute fruity and floral aromatic characteristics to consumer products. The compound may be utilized in applications such as beverages, confectionery, baked goods, and other processed food items where complex flavor profiles are desired. As with most synthetic flavor compounds, the amounts used are typically very small (parts per million range).
Safety Assessment
According to available FDA data, there have been zero adverse event reports and zero recalls associated with this additive. The compound has not been formally approved by the FDA as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe), which means it has not undergone the standard GRAS notification process or received explicit FDA approval for use in food.
However, the absence of adverse events and recalls in the FDA's database suggests no documented safety concerns have been identified in practical use. The lack of reported incidents does not constitute a safety determination, but rather indicates no problems have been documented through FDA monitoring systems. The compound's chemical structure—being derived from common food-grade precursors (acetaldehyde and 1,3-octanediol)—suggests relatively low toxicological concern, though formal safety studies would be needed for definitive conclusions.
As a small-molecule synthetic flavor compound used in minimal quantities, it falls within the typical risk profile for acetals used in flavoring applications.
Regulatory Status
In the United States, acetaldehyde 1,3-octanediol acetal does not have GRAS status from the FDA. This means the compound has not been through the formal GRAS notification process that many modern food additives undergo. Despite this, its use in food products may occur under regulations governing flavor ingredients, or it may be permitted under the FDA's flavor and extract manufacturers' association (FEMA) GRAS list if it has been assessed through that alternative pathway.
The absence of GRAS designation does not necessarily indicate a safety concern; rather, it reflects the regulatory classification status. Many flavor compounds function in commerce without explicit FDA GRAS determination, operating under different regulatory frameworks or historical usage provisions.
European regulations and other international food safety authorities have not been widely documented as having specific restrictions on this compound, though comprehensive international regulatory coverage would require consultation with national regulatory bodies.
Key Studies
Specific published safety studies on acetaldehyde 1,3-octanediol acetal in peer-reviewed literature appear limited in the public domain. Most safety assessments of flavor compounds in this category are conducted using established toxicology test protocols (acute toxicity, genotoxicity, repeated-dose studies) that may not always be published in accessible formats.
Safety evaluations of chemically similar acetals and the individual component compounds (acetaldehyde and 1,3-octanediol) suggest these are compounds with established safety histories in food applications at typical use levels. Acetaldehyde is a naturally occurring compound and common metabolite in foods, while 1,3-octanediol represents a relatively simple aliphatic diol structure.
The zero adverse event reports in the FDA database over the compound's history of use provides empirical evidence of safe application at current usage levels, though this represents observational rather than experimental data.