Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan
2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan is a furan in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3949 (CAS 63012-97-5). Its odor is sweet, fruity, nutty, roasted, sulfur.
- FEMA
- 3949
- CAS
- 63012-97-5
- JECFA
- 1061
- EU FL
- 13.152
- Formula
- C6H8OS
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 19. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 63012-97-5.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Furan, 2-methyl-3-(methylthio)-, 2-Methyl-3-methylthiofuran, 2-Methyl-3-methylsulfanylfuran, 2-Methyl-3-(methylsulfanyl)furan, 2-methyl-3-methylthiofuran, furan, 2-methyl-3-(methylthio)-, 2-methyl-3-(methylsulfanyl)furan, 2-methyl-3-thiomethylfuran, 2-methyl-3-(methylthio)furan [fhfi], 2-methyl-3-methylsulfanylfuran, 2-methyl-3-(methylthio)-furan, dimethylthiofuran.
Can 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan be labeled natural?
Nature makes 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan, 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-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3949. 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 13.152, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1061, evaluated at the 59th meeting in 2002. No safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, fruity, nutty, roasted, sulfur.
Where it is used
2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan is used in beverage, confection, savory dishes and snacks, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Ethylfuran | 3673 | 84% | In nature |
| 2-Furyl methyl ketone | 3163 | 77% | In nature |
| 4-Methyl-5-vinylthiazole | 3313 | 75% | In nature |
| Furfuryl alcohol | 2491 | 75% | In nature |
| 2,5-Dimethyl-3-furanthiol | 3451 | 75% | In nature |
More furans in this index
2-Acetyl-5-methylfuran · Furfural propyleneglycol acetal · Ethyl furfuryl ether · 2,5-Diethyltetrahydrofuran · di-2-Furylmethane · 4-Hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone
2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan FAQ
Does 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan have FEMA GRAS status?
2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3949. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan as FEMA 3949 or CAS 63012-97-5; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan is sweet, fruity, nutty, roasted, sulfur. Typical uses are beverage, confection, savory dishes and snacks.
What did JECFA conclude about 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan?
JECFA evaluated 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan at the 59th meeting in 2002 under JECFA number 1061. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake.
Can 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 13.152 is the Union List entry for 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan be labeled a natural flavor?
The process decides for 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan is artificial. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan 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-METHYL-3-(METHYLTHIO)FURAN under CAS 63012-97-5 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.