3,4-dihydr-oxy-3-phenyl-furan-2-one), C(10)H(10)O(4), features a five-membered γ-lactone ring with an envelope conformation at the C atom carrying the hydr-oxy group without the phenyl substituent. In the crystal, supra-molecular chains mediated by O-H⋯O hydrogen bonding are formed along the a-axis direction. These are consolidated in the crystal structure by C-H⋯O contacts.