Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2-Ethylfuran
2-Ethylfuran is a furan in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3673 (CAS 3208-16-0). Its odor is sweet, nutty, caramel, toasted.
- FEMA
- 3673
- CAS
- 3208-16-0
- JECFA
- 1489
- Formula
- C6H8O
- EC
- 221-714-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 13. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 3208-16-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Furan, 2-ethyl-, α-Ethylfuran, furan, 2-ethyl-, alpha-ethylfuran, 2-ethyloxole, 2-ethyl furan, 2-ethyl-furan, 2-ethyl furane, furan, .alpha.-ethyl-, 2-ethylfuran; a-ethylfuran; furan, 2-ethyl-, alpha-ethyl-furan, 2-ethylfuran, 97%.
Can 2-Ethylfuran be labeled natural?
Nature makes 2-Ethylfuran, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 2-Ethylfuran, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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-Ethylfuran is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3673. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
2-Ethylfuran was on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 13.092 when Regulation (EU) 872/2012 adopted the list, and the entry has since been withdrawn.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.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. 2-Ethylfuran appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 3208-16-0, where EPA names it Furan, 2-ethyl-.
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, nutty, caramel, toasted.
Taste: Sweet, slightly bitter, nutty.
Where it is used
2-Ethylfuran 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-Ethylfuran by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Furyl methyl ketone | 3163 | 92% | In nature |
| Furfuryl alcohol | 2491 | 85% | In nature |
| 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan | 3949 | 82% | In nature |
| Furfuryl mercaptan | 2493 | 80% | In nature |
| 5-Methylfurfuryl alcohol | 4544 | 78% | In nature |
More furans in this index
4-Acetyl-2,5-dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one · Furfural · 2-Pentanoylfuran · Furfural propyleneglycol acetal · Ethyl furfuryl ether · 5-Methyl-3(2H)-furanone
2-Ethylfuran FAQ
Does 2-Ethylfuran have FEMA GRAS status?
2-Ethylfuran holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3673. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 2-Ethylfuran by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 2-Ethylfuran as FEMA 3673 or CAS 3208-16-0; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does 2-Ethylfuran smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 2-Ethylfuran is sweet, nutty, caramel, toasted. On the palate it is sweet, slightly bitter, nutty. Typical uses are beverage, confection, bakery and snacks.
What did JECFA conclude about 2-Ethylfuran?
JECFA evaluated 2-Ethylfuran at the 65th meeting in 2005 under JECFA number 1489.
Is 2-Ethylfuran approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for 2-Ethylfuran. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1489), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Can 2-Ethylfuran be labeled a natural flavor?
The process decides for 2-Ethylfuran. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 2-Ethylfuran is artificial. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material identical-to-natural.
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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-ETHYLFURAN under CAS 3208-16-0 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number and its 21 CFR citations. 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.