Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Prenylthiol
Prenylthiol is a thiol in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3896 (CAS 5287-45-6). Its odor is garlic, onion, pungent, savory.
- FEMA
- 3896
- CAS
- 5287-45-6
- JECFA
- 522
- EU FL
- 12.170
- Formula
- C5H10S
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 18. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 5287-45-6.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2-Butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-, 3-Methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, Prenyl mercaptan, MBT, 3-Methyl-1-mercapto-2-butene, 3-Methyl-2-buten-1-thiol, 3-methylbut-2-ene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol, prenyl mercaptan, 3-methyl-2-buten-1-thiol, 1-mercapto-3-methyl-2-butene, 2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-.
Can Prenylthiol be labeled natural?
Prenylthiol occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: prenylthiol won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized prenylthiol is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic prenylthiol 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
Prenylthiol is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3896. 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 12.170, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 522, 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. Listed on the EPA TSCA inventory.
Odor and taste
Odor: Garlic, onion, pungent, savory.
Where it is used
Prenylthiol is used in savory dishes, seasoning blends, sauces and snacks, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Prenylthiol by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Methylbutanethiol | 3858 | 96% | In nature |
| 4-Methyl-cis-2-pentene | 4650 | 80% | Not determined |
More thiols in this index
Methyl 3-methyl-1-butenyl disulfide · 3-Mercaptohexanol · Diisoamyl disulfide · 4-(Methylthio)butanal · Benzyl mercaptan · 2-Thienyl disulfide
Prenylthiol FAQ
Is prenylthiol on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3896 covers prenylthiol. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for prenylthiol?
The FEMA number for prenylthiol is 3896 and its CAS registry number is 5287-45-6. FEMA files it in the sulfur flavor category.
Is prenylthiol natural or artificial?
Since prenylthiol is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when prenylthiol is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic prenylthiol identical-to-natural.
Is prenylthiol approved in the EU?
Prenylthiol is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 12.170 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated prenylthiol?
Yes. JECFA number 522, evaluated at the 53rd meeting in 1999. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is prenylthiol used for?
Prenylthiol is described as garlic, onion, pungent, savory. It shows up in savory dishes, seasoning blends, sauces and snacks.
Ingredient lookup
Check an ingredient
Start typing to search the ingredient corpus.
Or browse every ingredient page, A to Z.
Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
Check Prenylthiol in a formula
Screened against FEMA GRAS, 21 CFR and EU rules as you build. Free to start.
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 PRENYLTHIOL under CAS 5287-45-6 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.