Flavor ingredient regulatory record
2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal
2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal is an aldehyde in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3717 (CAS 65887-08-3). Its odor is sweet, fruity, citrus, herbal, slightly sulfurous.
- FEMA
- 3717
- CAS
- 65887-08-3
- JECFA
- 505
- EU FL
- 12.087
- Formula
- C11H12OS
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 13. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 65887-08-3.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2-Propenal, 2-[(methylthio)methyl]-3-phenyl-, 2-[(Methylthio)methyl]-3-phenyl-2-propenal, alpha-benzylidenemethional, 2-propenal, 2-((methylthio)methyl)-3-phenyl-, 2-(methylthiomethyl)-3-phenyl-2-propenal, (2z)-, 2-(methylthiomethyl)-3-phenyl-2-propenal, 2-((methylthio)methyl)-3-phenyl-2-propenal, 2-propenal, 2-[(methylthio)methyl]-3-phenyl-, 2-[(methylthio)methyl]-3-phenyl-2-propenal, (2e)-2-((methylsulfanyl)methyl)-3-phenylprop-2-enal, (2e)-2-[(methylsulfanyl)methyl]-3-phenylprop-2-enal, alpha-benzylidene methional.
Can 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal be labeled natural?
Nature makes 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal 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-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3717. 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 12.087, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 505, evaluated at the 44th meeting in 1995. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, fruity, citrus, herbal, slightly sulfurous.
Where it is used
2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal is used in beverage, confection, flavoring and snacks, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| alpha-Butylcinnamaldehyde | 2191 | 76% | In nature |
| Cinnamyl formate | 2299 | 73% | In nature |
| Methyl cinnamate | 2698 | 66% | In nature |
| Benzyl propionate | 2150 | 64% | In nature |
| 3-Isobutylpyridine | 3371 | 61% | In nature |
More aldehydes in this index
trans-2-Hexenal propylene glycol acetal · 4-Methyl-2-(methylthiomethyl)-2-hexenal · 2-(Methylthio)methyl-2-butenal · 2-Methylpentanal · 4-Decenal · (+/-)-2-(5-Methyl-5-vinyl-tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)propionaldehyde
2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal FAQ
Is 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal as GRAS under FEMA number 3717. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal?
2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal is FEMA 3717, CAS 65887-08-3. Its flavor category is fruity.
How is 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal as sweet, fruity, citrus, herbal, slightly sulfurous. It is used in beverage, confection, flavoring and snacks.
What did JECFA conclude about 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal?
JECFA evaluated 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal at the 44th meeting in 1995 under JECFA number 505. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 12.087 is the Union List entry for 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 2-(Methylthiomethyl)-3-phenylpropenal 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-(METHYLTHIOMETHYL)-3-PHENYLPROPENAL under CAS 65887-08-3 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.