Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Phenyl disulfide
Phenyl disulfide is a thiol in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3225 (CAS 882-33-7).
- FEMA
- 3225
- CAS
- 882-33-7
- JECFA
- 578
- EU FL
- 12.043
- Formula
- C12H10S2
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 4. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 882-33-7.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Disulfide, diphenyl, Diphenyl disulfide, Biphenyl disulfide, Diphenyl disulphide, NSC 2689, DPDS, 1,2-Diphenyldisulfane, (Phenyldisulfanyl)benzene, 1,1′-Dithiodibenzene, diphenyl disulfide, (phenyldisulfanyl)benzene, disulfide, diphenyl.
Can Phenyl disulfide be labeled natural?
Nature makes phenyl disulfide, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial phenyl disulfide, same molecule. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic phenyl disulfide 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
Phenyl disulfide is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3225. 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 12.043, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 578, evaluated at the 53rd meeting in 1999. no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Other US flags
Not on the California Proposition 65 list.
TSCA Inventory status
A flavor ingredient is also an industrial chemical. Phenyl disulfide appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 882-33-7, where EPA names it Disulfide, diphenyl.
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: Bitter, savory, pungent.
Where it is used
Phenyl disulfide is used in seasoning, sauces, meat products and condiments, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Phenyl disulfide by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diphenyl | 3129 | 75% | In nature |
| 2-Thienyl disulfide | 3323 | 72% | In nature |
| Diphenyl ether | 3667 | 72% | In nature |
| bis-(2-Methyl-3-furyl) tetrasulfide | 3260 | 67% | In nature |
| 4-Methyl-1,1'-biphenyl | 3186 | 66% | In nature |
More thiols in this index
Diisoamyl disulfide · 2-Naphthalenethiol · 4-Mercapto-4-methyl-2-hexanone · 2-Mercaptoanisole · Dimercaptomethane · 4-(Methylthio)-4-methyl-2-pentanone
Phenyl disulfide FAQ
Is phenyl disulfide FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists phenyl disulfide as GRAS under FEMA number 3225. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for phenyl disulfide?
Phenyl disulfide is FEMA 3225, CAS 882-33-7. Its flavor category is sulfur.
What did JECFA conclude about phenyl disulfide?
JECFA evaluated phenyl disulfide at the 53rd meeting in 1999 under JECFA number 578. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is phenyl disulfide on the EU Union List?
Yes. FL 12.043 is the Union List entry for phenyl disulfide, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Does phenyl disulfide count as natural in the US and the EU?
The process decides for phenyl disulfide. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic phenyl disulfide is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic phenyl disulfide 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 PHENYL DISULFIDE under CAS 882-33-7 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number. The inventory is searchable at FDA. FDA records its technical effect as flavor enhancer, 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.