Flavor ingredient regulatory record
5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate
5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate is an isothiocyanate in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4416 (CAS 4430-42-6). Its odor is pungent, mustard-like, sulfurous, green.
- FEMA
- 4416
- CAS
- 4430-42-6
- JECFA
- 1896
- Formula
- C7H13NS2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 23. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 4430-42-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Pentane, 1-isothiocyanato-5-(methylthio)-, Isothiocyanic acid, 5-(methylthio)pentyl ester, 1-Isothiocyanato-5-(methylthio)pentane, 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyante, Berteroin, (5-Isothiocyanatopentyl)(methyl)sulfane, berteroin, 1-isothiocyanato-5-methylsulfanylpentane, pentane, 1-isothiocyanato-5-(methylthio)-, 1-isothiocyanato-5-(methylsulfanyl)pentane, 5-methylthiopentyl isothiocyanate, (5-isothiocyanatopentyl)(methyl)sulfane.
Can 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate be labeled natural?
5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate is artificial. 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
5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4416. 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 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate. 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 1896, evaluated at the 69th meeting in 2008. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Pungent, mustard-like, sulfurous, green.
Where it is used
5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate is used in seasoning, sauces, condiments and snacks, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hexyl isothiocyanate | 4422 | 92% | In nature |
| 5-Hexenyl isothiocyanate | 4421 | 91% | In nature |
| Phenethyl isothiocyanate | 4014 | 83% | In nature |
| 3-(Methylthio)propyl isothiocyanate | 3312 | 82% | In nature |
| Butyl isothiocyanate | 4082 | 82% | In nature |
More isothiocyanates in this index
Isopropyl isothiocyanate · Hexyl isothiocyanate · Methyl isothiocyanate · 2-Butyl isothiocyanate · Isoamyl isothiocyanate · 3-(Methylthio)propyl isothiocyanate
5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate FAQ
Is 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate as GRAS under FEMA number 4416. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate?
5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate is FEMA 4416, CAS 4430-42-6. FEMA files it in the sulfur flavor category.
Does 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate count as natural in the US and the EU?
Since 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate is synthesized. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material identical-to-natural.
Is 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1896), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Has JECFA evaluated 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate?
Yes. JECFA number 1896, evaluated at the 69th meeting in 2008. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
How is 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe 5-(Methylthio)pentyl isothiocyanate as pungent, mustard-like, sulfurous, green. It is used in seasoning, sauces, condiments and snacks.
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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 5-(METHYLTHIO)PENTYL ISOTHIOCYANATE under CAS 4430-42-6 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.