Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Dimercaptomethane
Dimercaptomethane is a thiol in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4097 (CAS 6725-64-0). Its odor is pungent, sulfurous, rotten, garlic.
- FEMA
- 4097
- CAS
- 6725-64-0
- JECFA
- 1661
- EU FL
- 12.243
- Formula
- CH4S2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 6725-64-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Methanedithiol, 1,1-Methanedithiol, Bismercaptomethane, methanedithiol, dithiomethane, methane dithiol, dimercaptomethane[fhfi], dithiocarbon, dimercaptomethane [fhfi].
Can Dimercaptomethane be labeled natural?
Nature makes dimercaptomethane, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial dimercaptomethane, 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
Dimercaptomethane is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4097. 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 12.243, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1661, evaluated at the 68th meeting in 2007. No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list. Listed on the EPA TSCA inventory.
Odor and taste
Odor: Pungent, sulfurous, rotten, garlic.
Where it is used
Dimercaptomethane is used in seasoning, savory dishes and flavor enhancer, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Dimercaptomethane by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methyl mercaptan | 2716 | 81% | In nature |
More thiols in this index
2-Thienylmercaptan · Cyclopentanethiol · 4-Mercapto-4-methyl-2-hexanone · 2,6-(Dimethyl)thiophenol · 3-Mercapto-2-pentanone · S-Methyl benzothioate
Dimercaptomethane FAQ
Is dimercaptomethane on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 4097 covers dimercaptomethane. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for dimercaptomethane?
The FEMA number for dimercaptomethane is 4097 and its CAS registry number is 6725-64-0. Its flavor category is sulfur.
What is dimercaptomethane used for?
Dimercaptomethane is described as pungent, sulfurous, rotten, garlic. It shows up in seasoning, savory dishes and flavor enhancer.
What did JECFA conclude about dimercaptomethane?
JECFA evaluated dimercaptomethane at the 68th meeting in 2007 under JECFA number 1661. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is dimercaptomethane approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 12.243 is the Union List entry for dimercaptomethane, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is dimercaptomethane natural or artificial?
The process decides for dimercaptomethane. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic dimercaptomethane 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 DIMERCAPTOMETHANE under CAS 6725-64-0 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.