Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran
2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran is a furan in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3609 (CAS 1193-79-9). Its odor is sweet, nutty, caramel, roasted, toasty.
- FEMA
- 3609
- CAS
- 1193-79-9
- JECFA
- 1504
- EU FL
- 13.083
- Formula
- C7H8O2
- EC
- 214-779-1
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 12. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 1193-79-9.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Ethanone, 1-(5-methyl-2-furanyl)-, Ketone, methyl 5-methyl-2-furyl, 1-(5-Methyl-2-furanyl)ethanone, 2-Methyl-5-acetylfuran, 5-Acetyl-2-methylfuran, 5-Methyl-2-furylethanone, NSC 80404, 1-(5-Methylfuran-2-yl)ethanone, 2-Acetyl-5-methylfural, 1-(5-Methylfuran-2-yl)ethan-1-one, 1-(5-methylfuran-2-yl)ethanone, 1-(5-methyl-2-furyl)ethanone.
Can 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran be labeled natural?
Nature makes 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran identical-to-natural.
- 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
2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3609. 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 13.083, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1504, evaluated at the 86th meeting in 2018. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, nutty, caramel, roasted, toasty.
Taste: Sweet, nutty, caramel.
Where it is used
2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran is used in beverage, confection, bakery and snacks, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Methyl-5-(methylthio)furan | 3366 | 87% | In nature |
| 4-Acetyl-2-methylpyrimidine | 3654 | 86% | In nature |
| 5-Methylfurfuryl alcohol | 4544 | 81% | In nature |
| 2-Acetyl-3,5-dimethylfuran | 4071 | 81% | Not determined |
| 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester | 3973 | 80% | Not determined |
More furans in this index
Furfural · 2-Ethylfuran · 2-Methylfuran · 2,2'-(Thiodimethylene)difuran · 2,4-Difurfurylfuran · Furfuryl methyl ether
2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran FAQ
Is 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran as GRAS under FEMA number 3609. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran?
2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran is FEMA 3609, CAS 1193-79-9. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran as sweet, nutty, caramel, roasted, toasty. On the palate it is sweet, nutty, caramel. It is used in beverage, confection, bakery and snacks.
What did JECFA conclude about 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran?
JECFA evaluated 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran at the 86th meeting in 2018 under JECFA number 1504. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 13.083 is the Union List entry for 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran identical-to-natural.
Ingredient lookup
Check an ingredient
Start typing to search the ingredient corpus.
Or browse every ingredient page, A to Z.
Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
Check 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran in a formula
Screened against FEMA GRAS, 21 CFR and EU rules as you build. Free to start.
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-ACETYL-5-METHYLFURAN under CAS 1193-79-9 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number. The inventory is searchable at FDA. FDA records its technical effect as flavor enhancer, 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.