Flavor ingredient regulatory record
bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide
bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide is a thioether in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3259 (CAS 28588-75-2). Its odor is garlic, onion, earthy, pungent.
- FEMA
- 3259
- CAS
- 28588-75-2
- JECFA
- 1066
- EU FL
- 13.016
- Formula
- C10H10O2S2
- EC
- 249-095-2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 5. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 28588-75-2.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Furan, 3,3′-dithiobis[2-methyl-, 3,3′-Dithiobis[2-methylfuran], Bis(2-methyl-3-furyl) disulfide, Bis(2-methylfuran-3-yl) disulfide, Di(2-methylfuran-3-yl) disulfide, 1,2-Bis(2-methylfuran-3-yl)disulfane, 2-Methyl-3-[(2-methylfuran-3-yl)disulfanyl]furan, bis(2-methyl-3-furyl)disulfide, bis(2-methyl-3-furyl) disulfide, 1,2-bis(2-methylfuran-3-yl)disulfane, furan, 3,3'-dithiobis[2-methyl-, 3,3'-dithiobis[2-methylfuran].
Can bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide be labeled natural?
The process decides for bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide 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
bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3259. 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 13.016, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1066, 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.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 28588-75-2, where EPA names it Furan, 3,3'-dithiobis[2-methyl-.
Active in US commerce
EPA designates this substance active, so no Notice of Activity Form B is required before manufacturing. What active and inactive mean.
EPA publishes no regulatory flags on this listing. What the flags mean.
From the EPA non-confidential TSCA Inventory, July 2026 release. EPA also maintains a confidential portion it does not publish. Search the Inventory by CAS number.
Odor and taste
Odor: Garlic, onion, earthy, pungent.
Where it is used
bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide is used in savory dishes, seasoning blends, sauces and snack foods, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) tetrasulfide | 3260 | 83% | In nature |
| 2,2'-(Dithiodimethylene)difuran | 3146 | 80% | In nature |
| 2,5-Dimethyl-3-thiofuroylfuran | 3481 | 77% | Not determined |
| 2,2'-(Thiodimethylene)difuran | 3238 | 69% | In nature |
| 2-Thienyl disulfide | 3323 | 69% | In nature |
More thioethers in this index
Propyl furfuryl disulfide · 3-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-4-heptanone · 4-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-5-nonanone · 3-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-2-butanone
bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide FAQ
Does bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide have FEMA GRAS status?
bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3259. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide as FEMA 3259 or CAS 28588-75-2; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is sulfur.
What does bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide is garlic, onion, earthy, pungent. Typical uses are savory dishes, seasoning blends, sauces and snack foods.
What did JECFA conclude about bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide?
JECFA evaluated bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide at the 59th meeting in 2002 under JECFA number 1066. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Can bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 13.016 is the Union List entry for bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide be labeled a natural flavor?
Nature makes bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) disulfide 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 BIS(2-METHYL-3-FURYL) DISULFIDE under CAS 28588-75-2 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number. The inventory is searchable at FDA. FDA records its technical effect as flavor enhancer, 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.