Flavor ingredient regulatory record
4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone
4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone is a thioether in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3571 (CAS 61295-50-9). Its odor is sweet, fruity, nutty, earthy, slightly sulfurous.
- FEMA
- 3571
- CAS
- 61295-50-9
- JECFA
- 1087
- EU FL
- 13.078
- Formula
- C14H22O2S
- EC
- 262-691-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 11. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 61295-50-9.
Structure
![2D structure of 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone](/public/structures/fema-3571.svg)
Identity
Also known as: 5-Nonanone, 4-[(2-methyl-3-furanyl)thio]-, 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furanyl)thio]-5-nonanone, 4-((2-methyl-3-furyl)thio)-5-nonanone, 4-[(2-methyl-3-furanyl)thio]-5-nonanone, 1,3-dipropylacetonyl 2-methyl-3-furyl sulfide, 4-((2-methyl-3-furyl)thio)nonan-5-one, 5-nonanone, 4-((2-methyl-3-furanyl)thio)-, 4-[(2-methylfuran-3-yl)sulfanyl]nonan-5-one, 5-nonanone, 4-[(2-methyl-3-furanyl)thio]-, 4-[(2-methyl-3-furyl)thio]nonan-5-one, 4-((2-methyl-3-furanyl)thio)-5-nonanone, 4-((2-methyl-3-furyl)thio)-5-nonanone [fhfi].
Can 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone be labeled natural?
The process decides for 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone 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
4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3571. 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 13.078, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1087, 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, earthy, slightly sulfurous.
Taste: Sweet, nutty, complex.
Where it is used
4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-4-heptanone | 3570 | 88% | In nature |
| 2,6-Dimethyl-3-[(2-methyl-3-furyl)thio]-4-heptanone | 3538 | 73% | In nature |
| Furfuryl octanoate | 3396 | 63% | In nature |
| 2,5-Dimethyl-3-thiofuroylfuran | 3481 | 61% | Not determined |
| Ethyl 3-(furfurylthio)propionate | 3674 | 61% | In nature |
More thioethers in this index
3-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-2-butanone · 3-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-4-heptanone · bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide · Propyl furfuryl disulfide
4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone FAQ
Does 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone have FEMA GRAS status?
4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3571. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone as FEMA 3571 or CAS 61295-50-9; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone is sweet, fruity, nutty, earthy, slightly sulfurous. On the palate it is sweet, nutty, complex. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors and savory dishes.
What did JECFA conclude about 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone?
JECFA evaluated 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone at the 59th meeting in 2002 under JECFA number 1087. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Can 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 13.078 is the Union List entry for 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone be labeled a natural flavor?
Nature makes 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone 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 4-((2-METHYL-3-FURYL)THIO)-5-NONANONE under CAS 61295-50-9 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.