Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal
2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3601 (CAS 40878-72-6). Its odor is sweet, fruity, sulfurous, green, herbaceous.
- FEMA
- 3601
- CAS
- 40878-72-6
- JECFA
- 470
- EU FL
- 12.079
- Formula
- C6H10OS
- EC
- 255-126-0
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 12. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 40878-72-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2-Butenal, 2-[(methylthio)methyl]-, 2-[(Methylthio)methyl]-2-butenal, 2-(Methylmercapto)methyl-2-butenal, 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-2-butenal, 2-ethylidene methional, 2-butenal, 2-((methylthio)methyl)-, 2-((methylthio)methyl)-2-butenal, 2-(methylmercapto)methyl-2-butenal, 2-[(methylthio)methyl]-2-butenal, 2-(methyl thio) methyl-2-butenal, 2-butenal, 2-[(methylthio)methyl]-, 2-(methylthio) methyl-2-butenal [fhfi].
Can 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal be labeled natural?
Nature makes 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal, 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-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3601. 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 12.079, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 470, evaluated at the 64th meeting in 2005. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, fruity, sulfurous, green, herbaceous.
Taste: Sweet, savory, slightly bitter.
Where it is used
2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal is used in beverage, savory dishes, snacks and condiments, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methyl thiobutyrate | 3310 | 87% | In nature |
| Propyl thioacetate | 3385 | 86% | In nature |
| 4-Hexen-3-one | 3352 | 86% | In nature |
| 2-Methyl-2-pentenal | 3194 | 80% | In nature |
More aldehydes in this index
p-Methoxy-alpha-methyl-cinnamaldehyde · 2-Methyl-3-(p-isopropylphenyl)propionaldehyde · 2-Phenylpropionaldehyde · 3-(3,4-Methylenedioxyphenyl)-2-methylpropanal · 3-(5-Methyl-2-furyl) butanal · 2-Hexylidenehexanal
2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal FAQ
Does 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal have FEMA GRAS status?
2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3601. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal as FEMA 3601 or CAS 40878-72-6; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal is sweet, fruity, sulfurous, green, herbaceous. On the palate it is sweet, savory, slightly bitter. Typical uses are beverage, savory dishes, snacks and condiments.
What did JECFA conclude about 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal?
JECFA evaluated 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal at the 64th meeting in 2005 under JECFA number 470. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Can 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 12.079 is the Union List entry for 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal be labeled a natural flavor?
The process decides for 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal 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-((METHYLTHIO)METHYL)-2-BUTENAL under CAS 40878-72-6 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.