Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Furfuryl isopropyl sulfide
Furfuryl isopropyl sulfide is a thiol in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3161 (CAS 1883-78-9).
- FEMA
- 3161
- CAS
- 1883-78-9
- JECFA
- 1077
- EU FL
- 13.032
- Formula
- C8H12OS
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 4. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 1883-78-9.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Furan, 2-[[(1-methylethyl)thio]methyl]-, Furan, 2-[(isopropylthio)methyl]-, 2-[[(1-Methylethyl)thio]methyl]furan, Isopropyl furfuryl sulfide, 2-[(Propan-2-ylsulfanyl)methyl]furan, 2-((Isopropylthio)methyl)furan, 2-(Propan-2-ylsulfanylmethyl)furan, furan, 2-[[(1-methylethyl)thio]methyl]-, isopropyl furfuryl sulfide, 2-(propan-2-ylsulfanylmethyl)furan, 2-(((1-methylethyl)thio)methyl)furan, furan, 2-(((1-methylethyl)thio)methyl)-.
Can Furfuryl isopropyl sulfide be labeled natural?
Nature makes furfuryl isopropyl sulfide, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial furfuryl isopropyl sulfide, same molecule. 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
Furfuryl isopropyl sulfide is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3161. 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 13.032, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1077, evaluated at the 59th meeting in 2002. 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. Furfuryl isopropyl sulfide appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 1883-78-9, where EPA names it Furan, 2-[[(1-methylethyl)thio]methyl]-.
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, pungent, umami.
Where it is used
Furfuryl isopropyl sulfide is used in savory dishes, seasoning blends, sauces and marinades, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Furfuryl isopropyl sulfide by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| S-Furfuryl thioacetate | 3162 | 86% | In nature |
| 2-Butylfuran | 4081 | 83% | In nature |
| 3-Methyl-2-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-furan | 4174 | 79% | In nature |
| Propyl furfuryl disulfide | 3979 | 64% | Not determined |
| Ethyl furfuryl ether | 4114 | 59% | In nature |
More thiols in this index
3-Methylbutanethiol · Dimethyl trisulfide · Ammonium hydrogen sulphide · 4-(Methylthio)butanal · 2-Methyltetrahydrothiophen-3-one · Furfuryl mercaptan
Furfuryl isopropyl sulfide FAQ
Is furfuryl isopropyl sulfide on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3161 covers furfuryl isopropyl sulfide. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for furfuryl isopropyl sulfide?
The FEMA number for furfuryl isopropyl sulfide is 3161 and its CAS registry number is 1883-78-9. Its flavor category is sulfur.
What did JECFA conclude about furfuryl isopropyl sulfide?
JECFA evaluated furfuryl isopropyl sulfide at the 59th meeting in 2002 under JECFA number 1077. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is furfuryl isopropyl sulfide approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 13.032 is the Union List entry for furfuryl isopropyl sulfide, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is furfuryl isopropyl sulfide natural or artificial?
The process decides for furfuryl isopropyl sulfide. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic furfuryl isopropyl sulfide 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.
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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 FURFURYL ISOPROPYL SULFIDE under CAS 1883-78-9 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.