Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2-Mercaptoanisole
2-Mercaptoanisole is a thiol in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4159 (CAS 7217-59-6). Its odor is pungent, sulfurous, earthy, rubbery.
- FEMA
- 4159
- CAS
- 7217-59-6
- JECFA
- 1666
- EU FL
- 12.139
- Formula
- C7H8OS
- EC
- 230-605-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 7217-59-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzenethiol, 2-methoxy-, Benzenethiol, o-methoxy-, 2-Methoxybenzenethiol, o-Methoxybenzenethiol, 2-Methoxythiophenol, o-Methoxythiophenol, 2-(Methoxy)benzothiol, 2-Methoxyphenylthiol, 2-Methoxybenzene-1-thiol, 2-methoxybenzenethiol, 2-methoxythiophenol, thioguaiacol.
Can 2-Mercaptoanisole 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-Mercaptoanisole is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4159. 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 12.139, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1666, evaluated at the 68th meeting in 2007. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list. Listed on the EPA TSCA inventory.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. 2-Mercaptoanisole appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 7217-59-6, where EPA names it Benzenethiol, 2-methoxy-.
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: Pungent, sulfurous, earthy, rubbery.
Where it is used
2-Mercaptoanisole is used in savory dishes, seasoning blends, snack foods and meat products, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2-Mercaptoanisole by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Ethylthiophenol | 3345 | 93% | In nature |
| Benzyl mercaptan | 2147 | 86% | In nature |
| 1-Methoxy-2-methylbenzene | 2680 | 78% | In nature |
| Guaiacol | 2532 | 74% | In nature |
| Anisole | 2097 | 71% | In nature |
More thiols in this index
Methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide · Prenylthiol · 2,3 or 10-Mercaptopinane · 3,4-Dimethylthiophene · 3-Mercapto-2-pentanone · Furfuryl methyl sulfide
2-Mercaptoanisole FAQ
Does 2-Mercaptoanisole have FEMA GRAS status?
2-Mercaptoanisole holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4159. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 2-Mercaptoanisole by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 2-Mercaptoanisole as FEMA 4159 or CAS 7217-59-6; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is sulfur.
What does 2-Mercaptoanisole smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 2-Mercaptoanisole is pungent, sulfurous, earthy, rubbery. Typical uses are savory dishes, seasoning blends, snack foods and meat products.
What did JECFA conclude about 2-Mercaptoanisole?
JECFA evaluated 2-Mercaptoanisole at the 68th meeting in 2007 under JECFA number 1666. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Can 2-Mercaptoanisole be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 12.139 is the Union List entry for 2-Mercaptoanisole, 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-MERCAPTOANISOLE under CAS 7217-59-6 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.