Flavor ingredient regulatory record
S-Furfuryl thioacetate
S-Furfuryl thioacetate is a thioester in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3162 (CAS 13678-68-7). Its odor is sweet, fruity, caramel, nutty, sulfurous.
- FEMA
- 3162
- CAS
- 13678-68-7
- JECFA
- 1074
- EU FL
- 13.033
- Formula
- C7H8O2S
- EC
- 237-173-9
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 4. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 13678-68-7.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Ethanethioic acid, S-(2-furanylmethyl) ester, Acetic acid, thio-, S-furfuryl ester, 2-Furanmethanethiol, acetate, Furfurylthiol acetate, S-(2-Furanylmethyl)thioacetate, furfuryl thioacetate, furfurylthiol acetate, ethanethioic acid, s-(2-furanylmethyl) ester, s-furfuryl ethanethioate, s-(2-furanylmethyl) ethanethioate, s-(2-furylmethyl) ethanethioate, ethanethioic acid s-(2-furanylmethyl) ester.
Can S-Furfuryl thioacetate be labeled natural?
Since S-Furfuryl thioacetate is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when S-Furfuryl thioacetate is synthesized. In the EU and UK the natural claim likewise needs the natural route, while Mercosur and Mexico keep a third class, identical-to-natural, for the synthetic material.
- 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
S-Furfuryl thioacetate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3162. 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 13.033, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1074, evaluated at the 59th meeting in 2002. 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. S-Furfuryl thioacetate appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 13678-68-7, where EPA names it Ethanethioic acid, S-(2-furanylmethyl) 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, caramel, nutty, sulfurous.
Taste: Savory, slightly sweet, umami.
Where it is used
S-Furfuryl thioacetate is used in beverage, savory dishes, snacks and condiments, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to S-Furfuryl thioacetate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Furfuryl acetate | 2490 | 90% | In nature |
| Furfuryl isopropyl sulfide | 3161 | 86% | In nature |
| S-Furfuryl thiopropionate | 3347 | 79% | In nature |
| 2-Ethanethoic acid, S-(2-methyl-3-furanyl) ester | 3973 | 70% | Not determined |
| 3-[(2-Methyl-3-furyl)thio]-2-butanone | 4056 | 67% | Not determined |
More thioesters in this index
2-Methyl-3-thioacetoxy-4,5-dihydrofuran · Propyl thioacetate · Menthone-8-thioacetate · 2,5-Dimethyl-3-thioacetoxy-tetrahydrofuran, cis and trans isomers · S-Methyl 2-methylbutanethioate
S-Furfuryl thioacetate FAQ
Is S-Furfuryl thioacetate FEMA GRAS?
Yes. The FEMA Expert Panel lists S-Furfuryl thioacetate as GRAS under FEMA number 3162. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What are the FEMA and CAS numbers for S-Furfuryl thioacetate?
S-Furfuryl thioacetate is FEMA 3162, CAS 13678-68-7. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Does S-Furfuryl thioacetate count as natural in the US and the EU?
S-Furfuryl thioacetate occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: S-Furfuryl thioacetate won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized S-Furfuryl thioacetate is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic S-Furfuryl thioacetate identical-to-natural.
Is S-Furfuryl thioacetate on the EU Union List?
S-Furfuryl thioacetate is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 13.033 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated S-Furfuryl thioacetate?
Yes. JECFA number 1074, evaluated at the 59th meeting in 2002. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
How is S-Furfuryl thioacetate described, and where does it show up?
Flavorists describe S-Furfuryl thioacetate as sweet, fruity, caramel, nutty, sulfurous. On the palate it is savory, slightly sweet, umami. It is used in beverage, savory dishes, snacks and condiments.
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Guides: What Is FEMA GRAS? · Natural vs artificial · Filing a GRAS notification
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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 FURFURYL THIOACETATE under CAS 13678-68-7 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.