Flavor ingredient regulatory record
3,4-Dimethylthiophene
3,4-Dimethylthiophene is a thiol in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4645 (CAS 632-15-5). Its odor is earthy, roasted, nutty, sulfurous.
- FEMA
- 4645
- CAS
- 632-15-5
- JECFA
- 2110
- Formula
- C6H8S
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 24. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 632-15-5.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Thiophene, 3,4-dimethyl-, thiophene, 3,4-dimethyl-, 3,4-dimethyl-thiophene, 3,4-dimethyl thiophene, 3 pound not4-dimethylthiophene, geo-01227, cs-w005271, ac-37313, as-47616, db-024759, db-193555, en300-86409.
Can 3,4-Dimethylthiophene be labeled natural?
Nature makes 3,4-Dimethylthiophene, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 3,4-Dimethylthiophene, 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
3,4-Dimethylthiophene is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4645. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
No EU FL number is on file for 3,4-Dimethylthiophene. That is not a finding either way. The Union List covers defined flavouring substances, so natural complex materials are handled as flavouring preparations under Parts B to F and never receive a number, and substances used as additives sit under Regulation 1333/2008 instead. Confirm the position before EU or UK use.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2110, evaluated at the 76th meeting in 2012. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Earthy, roasted, nutty, sulfurous.
Where it is used
3,4-Dimethylthiophene is used in savory dishes, seasoning, snacks and meat products, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 3,4-Dimethylthiophene by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Methylthiophene | 4928 | 82% | In nature |
| 2-Methyl-3-furanthiol | 3188 | 70% | In nature |
| 2-Methylfuran | 4179 | 70% | In nature |
| 2-Methyltetrahydrothiophen-3-one | 3512 | 70% | In nature |
| 2-Thienylmercaptan | 3062 | 68% | In nature |
More thiols in this index
2-Ethylthiophenol · Dimercaptomethane · Prenylthiol · Cyclopentanethiol · 2-Mercapto-3-butanol · Benzenethiol
3,4-Dimethylthiophene FAQ
Does 3,4-Dimethylthiophene have FEMA GRAS status?
3,4-Dimethylthiophene holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4645. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 3,4-Dimethylthiophene by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 3,4-Dimethylthiophene as FEMA 4645 or CAS 632-15-5; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is sulfur.
What does 3,4-Dimethylthiophene smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 3,4-Dimethylthiophene is earthy, roasted, nutty, sulfurous. Typical uses are savory dishes, seasoning, snacks and meat products.
What did JECFA conclude about 3,4-Dimethylthiophene?
JECFA evaluated 3,4-Dimethylthiophene at the 76th meeting in 2012 under JECFA number 2110. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is 3,4-Dimethylthiophene approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for 3,4-Dimethylthiophene. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 2110), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Can 3,4-Dimethylthiophene be labeled a natural flavor?
The process decides for 3,4-Dimethylthiophene. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 3,4-Dimethylthiophene 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 3,4-DIMETHYLTHIOPHENE under CAS 632-15-5 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.