Flavor ingredient regulatory record
4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone
4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone is a lactone in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3797 (CAS 4166-20-5). Its odor is sweet, fruity, caramel, buttery, creamy.
- FEMA
- 3797
- CAS
- 4166-20-5
- JECFA
- 1456
- EU FL
- 13.099
- Formula
- C8H10O4
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 17. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 4166-20-5.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 3(2H)-Furanone, 4-(acetyloxy)-2,5-dimethyl-, 3(2H)-Furanone, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-, acetate, 4-(Acetyloxy)-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, (2,5-Dimethyl-4-oxofuran-3-yl) acetate, furaneol acetate, 4-acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2h)-furanone, 3(2h)-furanone, 4-(acetyloxy)-2,5-dimethyl-, (2,5-dimethyl-4-oxofuran-3-yl) acetate, strawberry furanone acetate, 4-(acetyloxy)-2,5-dimethyl-3(2h)-furanone, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2h)-furanone acetate, 3(2h)-furanone, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-, acetate.
Can 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone be labeled natural?
Nature makes 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone, same molecule. 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-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3797. 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 13.099, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1456, evaluated at the 63rd meeting in 2004. 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: Sweet, fruity, caramel, buttery, creamy.
Where it is used
4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone is used in beverage, confection, desserts, bakery and ice cream, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,5-Dimethyl-4-ethoxy-3(2H)-furanone | 4104 | 88% | Not determined |
| Guaiacyl acetate | 3687 | 75% | In nature |
| 2,5-Dimethyl-3-thioacetoxy-tetrahydrofuran, cis and trans isomers | 3972 | 74% | Not determined |
| 2-Methyl-3-(1-oxopropoxy)-4H-pyran-4-one | 3941 | 64% | In nature |
| 4-Acetyl-2,5-dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one | 4070 | 62% | In nature |
More lactones in this index
2-(4-Methyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid-gamma-lactone · 5-Hydroxyundecanoic acid lactone · 4-Hydroxy-3-methyloctanoic acid gamma-lactone · delta-Dodecalactone · epsilon-Decalactone · 2-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-cyclopropanecarbocyclic acid delta-lactone
4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone FAQ
Is 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3797 covers 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone?
The FEMA number for 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone is 3797 and its CAS registry number is 4166-20-5. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone used for?
4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone is described as sweet, fruity, caramel, buttery, creamy. It shows up in beverage, confection, desserts, bakery and ice cream.
What did JECFA conclude about 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone?
JECFA evaluated 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone at the 63rd meeting in 2004 under JECFA number 1456. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 13.099 is the Union List entry for 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone natural or artificial?
The process decides for 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic 4-Acetoxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)furanone 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.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
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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-ACETOXY-2,5-DIMETHYL-3(2H)-FURANONE under CAS 4166-20-5 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.