Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Ethyl furfuryl ether
Ethyl furfuryl ether is a furan in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4114 (CAS 6270-56-0). Its odor is sweet, caramel, nutty, toasted, earthy.
- FEMA
- 4114
- CAS
- 6270-56-0
- JECFA
- 1521
- Formula
- C7H10O2
- EC
- 228-454-7
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 22. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 6270-56-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Furan, 2-(ethoxymethyl)-, 2-(Ethoxymethyl)furan, Furfuryl ethyl ether, NSC 35558, furfuryl ethyl ether, 2-(ethoxymethyl)furan, furan, 2-(ethoxymethyl)-, 2-furfuryl ethyl ether, ethylfurfuryl ether, 2-ethoxymethylfuran, 2-(ethoxymethyl)uran, 2-(ethoxymethyl)-furan.
Can Ethyl furfuryl ether be labeled natural?
Since ethyl furfuryl ether is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when ethyl furfuryl ether is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic ethyl furfuryl ether 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
Ethyl furfuryl ether is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 4114. It is cited in the Code of Federal Regulations at 21 CFR 172.515.
European Union and United Kingdom
Ethyl furfuryl ether was on the Union List of flavouring substances as FL 13.123 when Regulation (EU) 872/2012 adopted the list, and the entry has since been withdrawn. It does not appear in the current consolidated text of Regulation (EC) 1334/2008. Check the amending regulations for the conditions that applied to existing stock, and treat EU or UK use as closed unless another route covers it.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1521, evaluated at the 64th meeting in 2005. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Sweet, caramel, nutty, toasted, earthy.
Where it is used
Ethyl furfuryl ether is used in beverage, confection, bakery and savory dishes, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Ethyl furfuryl ether by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-Butylfuran | 4081 | 91% | In nature |
| Furfural propyleneglycol acetal | 4537 | 87% | Not determined |
| Furfuryl acetate | 2490 | 86% | In nature |
| Furfuryl methyl ether | 3159 | 79% | In nature |
| 2-Butyrylfuran | 4083 | 73% | In nature |
More furans in this index
5-Pentyl-3H-furan-2-one · 2-Ethyl-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone · 2-Heptylfuran · Furfural propyleneglycol acetal · 2-Ethylfuran · 3-Methyl-2-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-furan
Ethyl furfuryl ether FAQ
Does ethyl furfuryl ether have FEMA GRAS status?
Ethyl furfuryl ether holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 4114. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite ethyl furfuryl ether by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite ethyl furfuryl ether as FEMA 4114 or CAS 6270-56-0; both point to the same entry. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Can ethyl furfuryl ether be labeled a natural flavor?
Ethyl furfuryl ether occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: ethyl furfuryl ether won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized ethyl furfuryl ether is artificial. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material identical-to-natural.
Is ethyl furfuryl ether approved in the EU?
No EU FL number is on file for ethyl furfuryl ether. It has a JECFA evaluation (JECFA 1521), which the EU list draws on, but the Union List entry itself should be confirmed before EU use.
Has JECFA evaluated ethyl furfuryl ether?
Yes. JECFA number 1521, evaluated at the 64th meeting in 2005. Conclusion: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
What does ethyl furfuryl ether smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of ethyl furfuryl ether is sweet, caramel, nutty, toasted, earthy. Typical uses are beverage, confection, bakery and savory dishes.
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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 FURFURYL ETHER under CAS 6270-56-0 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.