Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester
2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3973 (CAS 55764-25-5). Its odor is sweet, fruity, tropical, floral.
- FEMA
- 3973
- CAS
- 55764-25-5
- JECFA
- 1069
- EU FL
- 13.153
- Formula
- C7H8O2S
- EC
- 259-801-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 20. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 55764-25-5.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Ethanethioic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester, 3-(Acetylthio)-2-methylfuran, 1-[(2-Methylfuran-3-yl)sulfanyl]ethan-1-one, 3-(acetylthio)-2-methylfuran, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol acetate, s-(2-methyl-3-furyl) ethanethioate, ethanethioic acid, s-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester, s-(2-methyl-3-furyl) ethane thioate, 1-[(2-methylfuran-3-yl)sulfanyl]ethan-1-one, 2-methyl-3-thioacetoxyfuran, ethanethioic acid, s-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester [fhfi], 1-((2-methylfuran-3-yl)sulfanyl)ethan-1-one.
Can 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester 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-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3973. 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 13.153, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
Purity. At least 92%; secondary component 5-7 % cis- and trans-2-methyl-3-tetrahydrofuranthiol acetate
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1069. 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-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 55764-25-5, where EPA names it Ethanethioic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester.
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, tropical, floral.
Where it is used
2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester 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-3-thioacetoxy-4,5-dihydrofuran | 3636 | 92% | In nature |
| 2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran | 3609 | 86% | In nature |
| 2-Methyl-5-(methylthio)furan | 3366 | 75% | In nature |
| 3-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-2-butanone | 4056 | 71% | Not determined |
| 2-Acetyl-5-methylthiophene | 4643 | 71% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Cinnamyl isobutyrate · Ethyl decanoate · 1-Octen-3-yl acetate · Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate · Ethyl 3-(methylthio)-trans-2-propenoate · Phenyl butyrate
2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester FAQ
Does 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester have FEMA GRAS status?
2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3973. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester as FEMA 3973 or CAS 55764-25-5; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester is sweet, fruity, tropical, floral. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors and desserts.
What did JECFA conclude about 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester?
JECFA evaluated 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester under JECFA number 1069. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Can 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 13.153 is the Union List entry for 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester, 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 3-(ACETYLTHIO)-2-METHYLFURAN under CAS 55764-25-5 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.