Flavor ingredient regulatory record
3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate
3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3883 (CAS 16630-55-0). Its odor is sweet, fruity, apple, grape, estery.
- FEMA
- 3883
- CAS
- 16630-55-0
- JECFA
- 478
- EU FL
- 12.237
- Formula
- C6H12O2S
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 18. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 16630-55-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 1-Propanol, 3-(methylthio)-, 1-acetate, 1-Propanol, 3-(methylthio)-, acetate, Acetic acid 3-(methylthio)propyl ester, 3-Acetoxypropyl methyl sulfide, Methionyl acetate, 1-propanol, 3-(methylthio)-, acetate, 1-propanol, 3-(methylthio)-, 1-acetate, methionyl acetate, acetic acid 3-(methylthio)propyl ester, 3-acetoxypropyl methyl sulfide, 3-(methylthio)propyl acetate [fhfi], 3-methylthiopropyl acetate.
Can 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate be labeled natural?
The process decides for 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate is artificial. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
- 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-(Methylthio)propyl acetate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3883. 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 12.237, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 478, evaluated at the 53rd meeting in 1999. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, fruity, apple, grape, estery.
Where it is used
3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl 5-(methylthio)pentanoate | 3978 | 82% | In nature |
| Ethyl 3-(methylthio)-trans-2-propenoate | 4564 | 71% | Not determined |
| Ethyl 3-(methylthio)-cis-2-propenoate | 4563 | 71% | Not determined |
More esters in this index
alpha-Terpinyl acetate · Ethyl methyl-p-tolylglycidate · Ethyl 2-methyl-4-pentenoate · Isoamyl acetate · Furfuryl octanoate · Bornyl isovalerate
3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate FAQ
Does 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate have FEMA GRAS status?
3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3883. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate as FEMA 3883 or CAS 16630-55-0; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate is sweet, fruity, apple, grape, estery. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and desserts.
What did JECFA conclude about 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate?
JECFA evaluated 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate at the 53rd meeting in 1999 under JECFA number 478. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Can 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 12.237 is the Union List entry for 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate be labeled a natural flavor?
Nature makes 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 3-(Methylthio)propyl acetate 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-(METHYLTHIO)PROPYL ACETATE under CAS 16630-55-0 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.