Aroma molecule
3-hexenoate
Smells ofapple, pine, fruity, floral, green
Found in 1 ingredient. We hold no measured concentration for it in any of them yet, so we cannot say where it is strong enough to smell.
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01How little it takes
- in water 270,000
- in air 74.1
ppb, log scale · tick = median of published values, bar = full range
02Where it turns up
- Fruit1
of the 1 ingredient that contain it, by food group
03What it travels with
Too few ingredients to say what it travels with.
What does 3-hexenoate smell like?
Sources describe it as apple, pine, fruity, floral, green, sweet, mushroom.
How this molecule is described
- apple, pine, fruity, floral, green, sweet, mushroom shown above FlavorDB 2.0
- apple, pine Flavordb Odor Column
- fruity, floral, green, sweet, mushroom Flavordb Odor Column
- fruity Flavordb Odor Column
Ordered by how many independent descriptor streams give each wording, then by how often it appears. The bar is replication (one source copied onto many ingredients scores high), not corroboration.
Which foods contain 3-hexenoate?
We list 1 ingredient that contain it, but presence is not the same as smell. What matters is how much is there compared with how little it takes to notice it. That ratio is the odour activity value (OAV): above 1, you can smell it.
Found in
Measured foods first, then real food profiles, then thin or composite records (marked). The figure beside each is how many compounds that ingredient has in total, not the amount of 3-hexenoate in it. ✓n = sources that recorded the link.
How strong is 3-hexenoate?
Orthonasal, in clean water: 270000 ppb, from 1 published value.
Published thresholds
2 measured values from the literature, grouped by what was measured: a threshold smelled in clean water, tasted, or measured in a real food are different quantities and are not pooled.
| Threshold | Matrix | Source | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 270000 ppb | water_odor | Leffingwell | — |
| Threshold | Matrix | Source | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 74.1 ppb | air (HS_hellman_small) | Cometto-Muñiz (PMC) | — |
Only values we can attribute are listed. Where a compendium’s licence does not permit public attribution its figures are omitted, so every number here traces to a citable source.
Is 3-hexenoate safe to eat?
A substance matching this name is listed by FEMA as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) for use as a flavoring: FEMA number 4112, published in GRAS 22. Check current FDA and EFSA guidance for your market and use level.
- FEMA number
- 4112 ? partial match
- Publication
- GRAS 22
- FEMA name
- Ethyl cis-3-hexenoate
| Food category | Typical | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| baked goods | 5 | 20 |
| beverages (alcoholic) | 5 | 20 |
| beverages (nonalcoholic) | 2 | 10 |
| breakfast cereal | 2 | 10 |
| chewing gum | 5 | 25 |
| condiments/ relishes | 2 | 20 |
| confectionery frostings | 5 | 25 |
| frozen dairy | 5 | 20 |
| fruit ices | 5 | 20 |
| gelatins/ puddings | 5 | 20 |
| hard candy | 10 | 40 |
| imitation dairy | 2 | 10 |
| instant coffee/tea | 2 | 10 |
| jams/jellies | 5 | 25 |
| processed fruits | 1 | 10 |
| seasonings/ flavors | 25 | 100 |
| soft candy | 10 | 40 |
| sweet sauces | 2 | 10 |
Typical vs maximum reported addition levels in finished food. A regulatory ceiling reference; verify against the current GRAS publication for your product category.
Source: FEMA GRAS publications 1–33. 4 related FEMA records for this name; verify the exact substance for regulatory use.
3-hexenoate questions
What does 3-hexenoate smell like?
Sources describe 3-hexenoate as apple, pine, fruity, floral and green.
Which foods contain 3-hexenoate?
We list 1 ingredient that contain 3-hexenoate.
How strong is 3-hexenoate?
The median of 1 published odour thresholds in water is 270000 ppb.
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Cite this analysis
Compound Kitchen (2026). 3-hexenoate compound data sheet. https://compkitchen.com/compound/3-hexenoate. Accessed 2026-11-04.
@misc{compkitchen_compound_3_hexenoate_compound_data_sheet_2026,
title = {3-hexenoate compound data sheet},
author = {{Compound Kitchen}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://compkitchen.com/compound/3-hexenoate},
note = {Accessed: 2026-11-04}
}
Methodology DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19719459 · CC BY 4.0 · Citations are a request, not a requirement.