Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate
Ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3835 (CAS 4455-13-4). Its odor is sweet, fruity, apple, sulfurous, estery.
- FEMA
- 3835
- CAS
- 4455-13-4
- JECFA
- 475
- EU FL
- 12.122
- Formula
- C5H10O2S
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 18. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 4455-13-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Acetic acid, 2-(methylthio)-, ethyl ester, Acetic acid, (methylthio)-, ethyl ester, Ethyl (methylthio)acetate, Ethyl 2-methylthioacetate, NSC 165655, (Methylsulfanyl)acetic acid ethyl ester, (Methylthio)acetic acid ethyl ester, Ethyl 2-(methylsulfanyl)acetate, Ethyl methylmercapto-acetate, ethyl (methylthio)acetate, acetic acid, (methylthio)-, ethyl ester, ethyl 2-(methylthio)-acetate.
Can Ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate be labeled natural?
The process decides for ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate 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
Ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3835. 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 12.122, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 475, 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.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, fruity, apple, sulfurous, estery.
Where it is used
Ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl butyrate | 2427 | 90% | In nature |
| 2-Hepten-4-one | 3399 | 85% | In nature |
| Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate | 2720 | 70% | Not determined |
| Methyl thiobutyrate | 3310 | 69% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Isobutyl salicylate · Cinnamyl formate · Butyl salicylate · Benzyl cinnamate · cis-3-Hexenyl anthranilate · Cinnamyl isobutyrate
Ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate FAQ
Does ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate have FEMA GRAS status?
Ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3835. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate as FEMA 3835 or CAS 4455-13-4; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is fruity.
What does ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate is sweet, fruity, apple, sulfurous, estery. Typical uses are beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and savory dishes.
What did JECFA conclude about ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate?
JECFA evaluated ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate at the 53rd meeting in 1999 under JECFA number 475. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Can ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 12.122 is the Union List entry for ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate be labeled a natural flavor?
Nature makes ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate identical-to-natural.
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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 ETHYL 2-(METHYLTHIO)ACETATE under CAS 4455-13-4 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.