Flavor ingredient regulatory record
(+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane
(+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane is a thiol in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4108 (CAS 68398-18-5). Its odor is sweet, fruity, sulfurous, herbal, citrus.
- FEMA
- 4108
- CAS
- 68398-18-5
- JECFA
- 1685
- Formula
- C10H18S
- EC
- 269-970-2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 68398-18-5.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 6-Thiabicyclo[3.2.1]octane, 4,7,7-trimethyl-, 4,7,7-Trimethyl-6-thiabicyclo[3.2.1]octane, 2,8-epithio-p-menthane, 4,7,7-trimethyl-6-thiabicyclo[3.2.1]octane, grapefruit menthane, 4,7,7-trimethyl-6-thiabicyclo(3.2.1)octane, zestorial, zestoril, 6-thiabicyclo(3.2.1)octane, 4,7,7-trimethyl-, 6-thiabicyclo(3.2.1)octane, 4,7,7-trimethyl-, endo-, exo-(-)-4,7,7-trimethyl-6-thiabicyclo(3.2.1)octane, 6-thiabicyclo[3.2.1]octane, 4,7,7-trimethyl-.
Can (+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane 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
(+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4108. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
(+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane was on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 12.120 when Regulation (EU) 872/2012 adopted the list, and the entry has since been withdrawn. It does not appear in the current consolidated text of Regulation (EC) 1334/2008. Check the amending regulations for the conditions that applied to existing stock, and treat EU or UK use as closed unless another route covers it.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1685, evaluated at the 68th meeting in 2007. 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. (+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 68398-18-5, where EPA names it 6-Thiabicyclo[3.2.1]octane, 4,7,7-trimethyl-.
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, fruity, sulfurous, herbal, citrus.
Where it is used
(+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to (+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,4-Cineole | 3658 | 80% | In nature |
| Camphene | 2229 | 65% | In nature |
| Fenchyl alcohol | 2480 | 64% | In nature |
| 3-Pinanone | 4198 | 64% | Not determined |
| Borneol | 2157 | 61% | In nature |
More thiols in this index
3-Mercapto-2-methylpentanal · Diisopentyl thiomalate · 1-p-Menthene-8-thiol · 2-Methyl-4-propyl-1,3-oxathiane · 1-(3-(Methylthio)-butyryl)-2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexene · S-Furfuryl thiopropionate
(+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane FAQ
Does (+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane have FEMA GRAS status?
(+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4108. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite (+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite (+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane as FEMA 4108 or CAS 68398-18-5; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is (+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for (+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1685), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Has JECFA evaluated (+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane?
Yes. JECFA number 1685, evaluated at the 68th meeting in 2007. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
What does (+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of (+/-)-2,8-Epithio-cis-p-menthane is sweet, fruity, sulfurous, herbal, citrus. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors and savory dishes.
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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 (+/-)-2,8-EPITHIO-CIS-P-MENTHANE under CAS 68398-18-5 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.