Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Maltyl isobutyrate
Maltyl isobutyrate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3462 (CAS 65416-14-0). Its odor is sweet, fruity, malty, creamy, estery.
- FEMA
- 3462
- CAS
- 65416-14-0
- JECFA
- 1482
- EU FL
- 09.525
- Formula
- C10H12O4
- EC
- 265-755-2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 9. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 65416-14-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-methyl-4-oxo-4H-pyran-3-yl ester, Maltol isobutyrate, (2-Methyl-4-oxopyran-3-yl) 2-methylpropanoate, 2-Methyl-4-oxo-4H-pyran-3-yl 2-methylpropanoate, 2-Methyl-4-oxo-4H-pyran-3-yl isobutyrate, maltol isobutyrate, 2-methyl-4-oxo-4h-pyran-3-yl isobutyrate, maltyl 2-methylpropanoate, propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-methyl-4-oxo-4h-pyran-3-yl ester, 2-methyl-4-oxo-4h-pyran-3-yl 2-methylpropanoate, 2-methyl-4-pyron-3-yl 2-methylpropanoate, maltol isobutyrate [fcc].
Can Maltyl isobutyrate 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
Maltyl isobutyrate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3462. 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 09.525, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1482, evaluated at the 65th meeting in 2005. 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. Maltyl isobutyrate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 65416-14-0, where EPA names it Propanoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-methyl-4-oxo-4H-pyran-3-yl ester.
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: Sweet, fruity, malty, creamy, estery.
Where it is used
Maltyl isobutyrate is used in beverage, confection, dairy and baked goods, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Maltyl isobutyrate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl maltol isobutyrate | 4534 | 92% | Not determined |
| 2-Methyl-3-(1-oxopropoxy)-4H-pyran-4-one | 3941 | 89% | In nature |
| Guaiacol isobutyrate | 4608 | 80% | Not determined |
| Guaiacol propionate | 4609 | 78% | In nature |
| Vanillin isobutyrate | 3754 | 70% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Butyl levulinate · Allyl heptanoate · Benzyl levulinate · Ethyl phenylacetate · Bornyl acetate · cis-Hexenyl propionate
Maltyl isobutyrate FAQ
Is maltyl isobutyrate FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists maltyl isobutyrate as GRAS under FEMA number 3462. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for maltyl isobutyrate?
Maltyl isobutyrate is FEMA 3462, CAS 65416-14-0. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is maltyl isobutyrate on the EU Union List?
Maltyl isobutyrate is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 09.525 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated maltyl isobutyrate?
Yes. JECFA number 1482, evaluated at the 65th meeting in 2005. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
How is maltyl isobutyrate described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe maltyl isobutyrate as sweet, fruity, malty, creamy, estery. It is used in beverage, confection, dairy and baked goods.
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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 MALTYL ISOBUTYRATE under CAS 65416-14-0 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.