Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate
Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate is a thiol in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4714 (CAS 33441-50-8).
- FEMA
- 4714
- CAS
- 33441-50-8
- JECFA
- 2085
- EU FL
- 12.304
- Formula
- C6H12O2S
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 25. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 33441-50-8.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: ethyl 2-methyl-2-sulfanylpropanoate, ethyl 2-mercapto-2-methylpropanoate, propanoic acid, 2-mercapto-2-methyl-, ethyl ester, 2-mercapto-2-methyl-propanoic acid ethyl ester, 2-mercapto-2-methyl-propionic acid ethyl ester, 2-mercapto-2-methyl-propanoicacidethylester, propanoic acid,2-mercapto-2-methyl-, ethyl ester, ethyl 2-mercapto-2-methylpropionate (>90%).
Can Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate be labeled natural?
Nature occurrence: Not yet found in nature (provisional).
Nature occurrence has not been settled for this substance, so the natural or artificial class is not stated here. The FEMA GRAS status does not depend on it.
Regulatory status, with citations
United States
Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4714. 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 12.304, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 2085, evaluated at the 76th meeting in 2012. No safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list. Listed on the EPA TSCA inventory.
Odor and taste
Taste: Sweet, fruity, savory.
Where it is used
Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| (+/-)-2-Mercaptomethylpentan-1-ol | 3995 | 83% | Not determined |
| 4-Mercapto-4-methyl-2-hexanone | 4583 | 80% | Not determined |
More thiols in this index
Allyl thiohexanoate · S-Furfuryl thiopropionate · Triethylthialdine · Methyl isobutanethioate · Diisopentyl thiomalate · 2,5-Dimethyl-3-tetrahydrofuranthiol, cis and trans isomers
Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate FAQ
Does Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate have FEMA GRAS status?
Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4714. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate as FEMA 4714 or CAS 33441-50-8; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Can Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate be used in the EU and UK?
Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 12.304 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated Ethyl 2-Mercapto-2-methylpropionate?
Yes. JECFA number 2085, evaluated at the 76th meeting in 2012. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake.
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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 ETHYL 2-MERCAPTO-2-METHYLPROPIONATE under CAS 33441-50-8 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.