Flavor ingredient regulatory record
DL-Methionine
DL-Methionine is a thiol in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3301 (CAS 59-51-8). Its odor is sulfurous, savory, meaty, earthy.
- FEMA
- 3301
- CAS
- 59-51-8
- JECFA
- 1424
- EU FL
- 17.014
- Formula
- C5H11NO2S
- EC
- 200-432-1
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 5. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 59-51-8.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Methionine, Methionine, DL-, α-Amino-γ-methylmercaptobutyric acid, DL-2-Amino-4-(methylthio)butyric acid, Banthionine, Cynaron, Dyprin, Lobamine, Meonine, Methilanin, Metione, Neston.
Can DL-Methionine be labeled natural?
Nature makes DL-Methionine, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial DL-Methionine, same molecule. 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
DL-Methionine is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3301. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.320.
European Union and United Kingdom
Listed on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 17.014, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1424, 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.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. DL-Methionine appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 59-51-8, where EPA names it Methionine.
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: Sulfurous, savory, meaty, earthy.
Where it is used
DL-Methionine is used in seasoning, meat products, snack foods and dairy, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to DL-Methionine by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| cis-3-Hexenoic acid | 4493 | 75% | In nature |
| dl-Isoleucine | 3295 | 72% | In nature |
| L-Glutamine | 3684 | 71% | In nature |
| Leucine | 3297 | 71% | In nature |
| l-Cysteine | 3263 | 71% | In nature |
More thiols in this index
2-Ethylthiophenol · Hydrogen sulfide · 2-Thienylmercaptan · 3-Mercaptopropionic acid · 3-Mercapto-2-pentanone · Dimethyl trisulfide
DL-Methionine FAQ
Does DL-Methionine have FEMA GRAS status?
DL-Methionine holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3301. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.320.
How do I cite DL-Methionine by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite DL-Methionine as FEMA 3301 or CAS 59-51-8; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is sulfur.
What does DL-Methionine smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of DL-Methionine is sulfurous, savory, meaty, earthy. Typical uses are seasoning, meat products, snack foods and dairy.
What did JECFA conclude about DL-Methionine?
JECFA evaluated DL-Methionine at the 63rd meeting in 2004 under JECFA number 1424. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Can DL-Methionine be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 17.014 is the Union List entry for DL-Methionine, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can DL-Methionine be labeled a natural flavor?
The process decides for DL-Methionine. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic DL-Methionine is artificial. 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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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
Check DL-Methionine in a formula
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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 DL-METHIONINE under CAS 59-51-8 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number and its 21 CFR citations. The inventory is searchable at FDA. FDA records its technical effect as flavor enhancer, flavoring agent or adjuvant, nutrient supplement.
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.