Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate
Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate is an ester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2720 (CAS 13532-18-8). Its odor is sweet, fruity, tropical, apple, sulfurous.
- FEMA
- 2720
- CAS
- 13532-18-8
- JECFA
- 472
- EU FL
- 12.002
- Formula
- C5H10O2S
- EC
- 236-883-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 13532-18-8.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Propanoic acid, 3-(methylthio)-, methyl ester, Propionic acid, 3-(methylthio)-, methyl ester, Methyl β-methylthiopropionate, 2-Methoxycarbonylethyl methyl sulfide, Methyl 3-methylthiopropanoate, NSC 76415, Methyl 3-(methylsulfanyl)propanoate, methyl 3-methylthiopropionate, methyl-3-(methylthio)propionate, propanoic acid, 3-(methylthio)-, methyl ester, methyl beta-methiopropionate, propionic acid, 3-(methylthio)-, methyl ester.
Can Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate 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
Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 2720. 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 12.002, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 472, 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.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 13532-18-8, where EPA names it Propanoic acid, 3-(methylthio)-, methyl 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, tropical, apple, sulfurous.
Where it is used
Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate is used in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and snack foods, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Methyl 3-(methylthio)butanoate | 4166 | 85% | In nature |
| Ethyl 2-(methylthio)acetate | 3835 | 74% | In nature |
| Ethyl 3-(methylthio)-cis-2-propenoate | 4563 | 73% | Not determined |
| Ethyl 3-(methylthio)-trans-2-propenoate | 4564 | 73% | Not determined |
| 2,3-Heptanedione | 2543 | 51% | In nature |
More esters in this index
Ethyl 2-acetyloctanoate · Phenethyl tiglate · Isoamyl formate · Octyl octanoate · Ethyl 3-octenoate · Isoamyl nonanoate
Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate FAQ
Is methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 2720 covers methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate?
The FEMA number for methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate is 2720 and its CAS registry number is 13532-18-8. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate approved in the EU?
Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 12.002 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate?
Yes. JECFA number 472, evaluated at the 53rd meeting in 1999. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate used for?
Methyl 3-(methylthio)propionate is described as sweet, fruity, tropical, apple, sulfurous. It shows up in beverage, confection, fruit flavors, bakery and snack foods.
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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-METHYLTHIOPROPIONATE under CAS 13532-18-8 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number and its 21 CFR citations. 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.