Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide
Methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide is a thiol in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3865 (CAS 233666-09-6). Its odor is garlic, onion, pungent, savory.
- FEMA
- 3865
- CAS
- 233666-09-6
- JECFA
- 571
- EU FL
- 12.218
- Formula
- C6H12S2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 18. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 233666-09-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: disulfide, methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl, methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide [fhfi], 2-methyl-5,6-dithia-3-heptene, (e)-3-methyl-1-(methyldisulanyl)but-1-ene.
Can Methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide be labeled natural?
Nature makes methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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
Methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3865. 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 12.218, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 571, evaluated at the 61st meeting in 2003. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
Odor and taste
Odor: Garlic, onion, pungent, savory.
Where it is used
Methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide is used in savory dishes, seasoning, condiments and sauces, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Methyl-2-(methylthiomethyl)-2-pentenal | 4568 | 67% | Not determined |
More thiols in this index
1-(2-Thienyl)ethanethiol · 2-Thienylmercaptan · bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) tetrasulfide · S-Methyl benzothioate · 3-Methylbutanethiol · 3-Mercapto-2-pentanone
Methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide FAQ
Does methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide have FEMA GRAS status?
Methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide holds FEMA GRAS status under FEMA number 3865. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
How do I cite methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide by FEMA or CAS number?
Cite methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide as FEMA 3865 or CAS 233666-09-6; both point to the same entry. Its flavor category is sulfur.
What does methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide smell and taste like, and where is it used?
The odor of methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide is garlic, onion, pungent, savory. Typical uses are savory dishes, seasoning, condiments and sauces.
What did JECFA conclude about methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide?
JECFA evaluated methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide at the 61st meeting in 2003 under JECFA number 571. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Can methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide be used in the EU and UK?
Yes. FL 12.218 is the Union List entry for methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Can methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide be labeled a natural flavor?
The process decides for methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide is artificial. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material identical-to-natural.
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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 METHYL 3-METHYL-1-BUTENYL DISULFIDE under CAS 233666-09-6 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.