Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Dimethyl trisulfide
Dimethyl trisulfide is a thiol in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3275 (CAS 3658-80-8).
- FEMA
- 3275
- CAS
- 3658-80-8
- JECFA
- 582
- EU FL
- 12.013
- Formula
- C2H6S3
- EC
- 222-910-9
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 5. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 3658-80-8.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Trisulfide, dimethyl, Methyl trisulfide, 2,3,4-Trithiapentane, NSC 97324, (Methyltrisulfanyl)methane, trisulfide, dimethyl, methyl trisulfide, (methyltrisulfanyl)methane, dimethyltrisulfane, 2,3,4-trithiapentane, dimethyltrisulfide, dimethyl trisulphide.
Can Dimethyl trisulfide be labeled natural?
The process decides for dimethyl trisulfide. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic dimethyl trisulfide is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic dimethyl trisulfide 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
Dimethyl trisulfide is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3275. 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 12.013, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 582, evaluated at the 53rd meeting in 1999. 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.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Dimethyl trisulfide appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 3658-80-8, where EPA names it Trisulfide, dimethyl.
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
Taste: Savory, umami, strong.
Where it is used
Dimethyl trisulfide is used in savory dishes, seasoning, sauces and condiments, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Dimethyl trisulfide by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methyl propyl disulfide | 3201 | 70% | In nature |
| 2-Methyl-3-(methylthio)furan | 3949 | 69% | In nature |
More thiols in this index
2-Mercapto-3-butanol · 3-(Methylthio)propylamine · 3,4-Dimethylthiophene · Benzyl mercaptan · Methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide · 1-(2-Thienyl)ethanethiol
Dimethyl trisulfide FAQ
Is dimethyl trisulfide on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3275 covers dimethyl trisulfide. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for dimethyl trisulfide?
The FEMA number for dimethyl trisulfide is 3275 and its CAS registry number is 3658-80-8. Its flavor category is sulfur.
What did JECFA conclude about dimethyl trisulfide?
JECFA evaluated dimethyl trisulfide at the 53rd meeting in 1999 under JECFA number 582. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is dimethyl trisulfide approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 12.013 is the Union List entry for dimethyl trisulfide, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is dimethyl trisulfide natural or artificial?
Nature makes dimethyl trisulfide, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial dimethyl trisulfide, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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 DIMETHYL TRISULFIDE under CAS 3658-80-8 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.