Flavor ingredient regulatory record
S-Methyl benzothioate
S-Methyl benzothioate is a thiol in the sulfur family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3857 (CAS 5925-68-8). Its odor is pungent, sulfurous, earthy, musty.
- FEMA
- 3857
- CAS
- 5925-68-8
- JECFA
- 504
- EU FL
- 12.150
- Formula
- C8H8OS
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 18. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 5925-68-8.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Benzenecarbothioic acid, S-methyl ester, Benzoic acid, thio-, S-methyl ester, Methanethiol, benzoate, Thiobenzoic acid S-methyl ester, S-Methyl thiobenzoate, S-Methyl benzenecarbothioate, (Methylsulfanyl)(phenyl)methanone, s-methyl benzenecarbothioate, s-methyl thiobenzoate, (s)-methyl thiobenzoate, thiobenzoic acid s-methyl ester, methyl thiobenzoate.
Can S-Methyl benzothioate be labeled natural?
Nature makes S-Methyl benzothioate, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial S-Methyl benzothioate, same molecule. 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-Methyl benzothioate is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3857. 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 12.150, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (JECFA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 504, 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.
Odor and taste
Odor: Pungent, sulfurous, earthy, musty.
Where it is used
S-Methyl benzothioate is used in savory dishes, seasoning blends, sauces and meat products, typically as a sulfur note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to S-Methyl benzothioate by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propiophenone | 3469 | 90% | In nature |
| Methyl benzoate | 2683 | 87% | In nature |
| 1-Phenyl-1-propanol | 2884 | 83% | In nature |
| o-Propylphenol | 3522 | 79% | In nature |
| 2-Butyrylfuran | 4083 | 78% | In nature |
More thiols in this index
Phenyl disulfide · Methyl mercaptan · 3-Mercaptopropionic acid · 4-(Methylthio)butanal · (+/-)-2-Mercaptomethylpentan-1-ol · 3,4-Dimethylthiophene
S-Methyl benzothioate FAQ
Is S-Methyl benzothioate on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3857 covers S-Methyl benzothioate. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for S-Methyl benzothioate?
The FEMA number for S-Methyl benzothioate is 3857 and its CAS registry number is 5925-68-8. Its flavor category is sulfur.
What is S-Methyl benzothioate used for?
S-Methyl benzothioate is described as pungent, sulfurous, earthy, musty. It shows up in savory dishes, seasoning blends, sauces and meat products.
What did JECFA conclude about S-Methyl benzothioate?
JECFA evaluated S-Methyl benzothioate at the 53rd meeting in 1999 under JECFA number 504. The panel concluded: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
Is S-Methyl benzothioate approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 12.150 is the Union List entry for S-Methyl benzothioate, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is S-Methyl benzothioate natural or artificial?
The process decides for S-Methyl benzothioate. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic S-Methyl benzothioate is artificial. 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.
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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 S-METHYL BENZOTHIOATE under CAS 5925-68-8 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.