Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one
2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one is a furan in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4101 (CAS 14400-67-0). Its odor is sweet, caramel, nutty, fruity, toasted.
- FEMA
- 4101
- CAS
- 14400-67-0
- JECFA
- 2230
- EU FL
- 13.119
- Formula
- C6H8O2
- EC
- 238-365-5
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 14400-67-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 3(2H)-Furanone, 2,5-dimethyl-, 2,5-Dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, 2,5-Dimethyl-2H-furan-3-one, 2,3-Dihydro-2,5-dimethyl-3-furanone, 2,5-Dimethyl-2,3-dihydrofuran-3-one, 2,5-Dimethyl-3(2H)furanone, 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3-one, 2,5-dimethyl-3(2h)-furanone, 3(2h)-furanone, 2,5-dimethyl-, 2,5-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrofuran-3-one, mango furanone, 2,5-dimethyl-3(2h)-furanone (natural).
Can 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one be labeled natural?
Nature occurrence: Not yet found in nature (provisional).
Nature occurrence has not been settled for this substance, so the natural or artificial class is not stated here. The FEMA GRAS status does not depend on it.
Regulatory status, with citations
United States
2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4101. 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 13.119, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2230, evaluated at the 82nd meeting in 2016. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 14400-67-0, where EPA names it 3(2H)-Furanone, 2,5-dimethyl-.
Active in US commerce
EPA designates this substance active, so no Notice of Activity Form B is required before manufacturing. 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: Sweet, caramel, nutty, fruity, toasted.
Taste: Sweet, creamy, slightly nutty.
Where it is used
2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one is used in beverage, confection, bakery, dairy and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone | 3174 | 88% | In nature |
| 2,4-Dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane | 4099 | 85% | Not determined |
| 5-Methyl-3(2H)-furanone | 4176 | 78% | In nature |
| 4,5-Dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-one | 3634 | 77% | In nature |
| 2,4,5-Trimethyl-delta-3-oxazoline | 3525 | 76% | In nature |
More furans in this index
5-Ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone · 2-Phenyl-3-carbethoxyfuran · 2-Acetyl-3,5-dimethylfuran · 2,5-Dimethylfuran · Furfural · 5-Pentyl-3H-furan-2-one
2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one FAQ
Is 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one as GRAS under FEMA number 4101. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one?
2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one is FEMA 4101, CAS 14400-67-0. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one as sweet, caramel, nutty, fruity, toasted. On the palate it is sweet, creamy, slightly nutty. It is used in beverage, confection, bakery, dairy and desserts.
What did JECFA conclude about 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one?
JECFA evaluated 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one at the 82nd meeting in 2016 under JECFA number 2230. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 13.119 is the Union List entry for 2,5-Dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
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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 2,5-DIMETHYL-3(2H)-FURANONE under CAS 14400-67-0 and carries its FEMA 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.