Flavor ingredient regulatory record
1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole
1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole is a ketone in the nutty family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3184 (CAS 932-16-1). Its odor is nutty, roasted, popcorn, sweet, earthy.
- FEMA
- 3184
- CAS
- 932-16-1
- JECFA
- 1306
- EU FL
- 14.046
- Formula
- C7H9NO
- EC
- 213-247-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 4. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 932-16-1.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Ethanone, 1-(1-methyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-, Ketone, methyl 1-methylpyrrol-2-yl, 1-(1-Methyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)ethanone, N-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole, 2-Acetyl-1-methylpyrrole, 2-Acetyl-N-methylpyrrole, N-Methyl-2-pyrrolylethanone, NSC 87239, 1-(1-Methyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)ethan-1-one, N-Methyl-5-acetylpyrrole, 1-(1-Methylpyrrol-2-yl)ethanone, 2-acetyl-1-methylpyrrole.
Can 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole be labeled natural?
1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole is artificial. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
- United States
- Natural or artificial, by process
- European Union and UK
- Natural only from natural material
- Mercosur and Mexico
- Natural or identical-to-natural
How each market defines the classes: natural vs artificial flavor under 21 CFR 101.22.
Regulatory status, with citations
United States
1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3184. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 14.046, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1306, evaluated at the 63rd meeting in 2004. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 932-16-1, where EPA names it Ethanone, 1-(1-methyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-.
Inactive in US commerce
EPA designates this substance inactive, so a Notice of Activity Form B is required before anyone manufactures or processes it again. Being FEMA GRAS does not change that. What active and inactive mean.
EPA publishes no regulatory flags on this listing. What the flags mean.
From the EPA non-confidential TSCA Inventory, July 2026 release. EPA also maintains a confidential portion it does not publish. Search the Inventory by CAS number.
Odor and taste
Odor: Nutty, roasted, popcorn, sweet, earthy.
Taste: Nutty, savory, slightly sweet.
Where it is used
1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole is used in beverage, snack foods, confection and baked goods, typically as a nutty note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Ethyl-2-acetylpyrrole | 3147 | 84% | In nature |
| 1-Ethyl-2-pyrrolecarboxaldehyde | 4317 | 83% | In nature |
| 2-Furyl methyl ketone | 3163 | 82% | In nature |
| 1-Methyl-1H-pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde | 4332 | 75% | In nature |
| 1-Furfurylpyrrole | 3284 | 67% | In nature |
More ketones in this index
2-Acetylpyridine · 2-Propionylpyrrole · Isojasmone · 1,1'-(Tetrahydro-6a-hydroxy-2,3a,5-trimethylfuro[2,3-d]-1,3-dioxole-2,5-diyl)bis-ethanone · 6-Methyl-3,5-heptadien-2-one · 4-Hydroxyacetophenone
1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole FAQ
Does 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole have FEMA GRAS status?
1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3184. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole as FEMA 3184 or CAS 932-16-1; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the nutty flavor category.
Can 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole be labeled a natural flavor?
Since 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole is synthesized. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
Can 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole be used in the EU and UK?
1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 14.046 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole?
Yes. JECFA number 1306, evaluated at the 63rd meeting in 2004. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What does 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 1-Methyl-2-acetylpyrrole is nutty, roasted, popcorn, sweet, earthy. On the palate it is nutty, savory, slightly sweet. Typical uses are beverage, snack foods, confection and baked goods.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
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Sources and attribution. The identity and regulatory facts on this page are taken from the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory, a US government record, which lists this substance as 1-METHYL-2-ACETYLPYRROLE under CAS 932-16-1 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number. The inventory is searchable at FDA. FDA records its technical effect as flavoring agent or adjuvant.
A FEMA GRAS conclusion is reached by the Expert Panel of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States, and the FEMA number names that conclusion. FEMA publishes its own entry for this substance in the FEMA Flavor Library, which is the authoritative record of what the Panel decided and is worth reading alongside this page.
Ambrose Compliance is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by FEMA. FEMA and FEMA GRAS are used here as identifiers for a published regulatory determination, not as marks of any relationship between FEMA and Ambrose.
About this page. Facts come from the FDA Substances Added to Food inventory, the Code of Federal Regulations, the EPA TSCA Inventory, the EU Union List, JECFA and the Ambrose database, with FEMA's published determination cited where it applies; parts of the text are written by Ambrose AI, which can make mistakes. Check the cited source before relying on anything here. This is not regulatory or legal advice.