Flavor ingredient regulatory record
sec-Butyl ethyl ether
sec-Butyl ethyl ether is an ether in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3131 (CAS 2679-87-0). Its odor is sweet, fruity, floral, estery, light.
- FEMA
- 3131
- CAS
- 2679-87-0
- JECFA
- 1231
- EU FL
- 03.005
- Formula
- C6H14O
- EC
- 220-234-9
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 4. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 2679-87-0.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: Butane, 2-ethoxy-, Ether, sec-butyl ethyl, 2-Ethoxybutane, Ethyl sec-butyl ether, 2-ethoxybutane, butane, 2-ethoxy-, ethyl sec-butyl ether, 2-ethoxy-butane, 4-01-00-01572 (beilstein handbook reference), sec-butyl ethyl ether [fhfi], (+-)-2-ethoxybutane, 2-ethoxybutane, (+-)-.
Can sec-Butyl ethyl ether be labeled natural?
The process decides for sec-Butyl ethyl ether. It occurs in nature, so a natural-source, natural-process material is natural flavor in the US and synthetic sec-Butyl ethyl ether is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic sec-Butyl ethyl ether 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
sec-Butyl ethyl ether is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3131. 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 03.005, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1231, evaluated at the 61st meeting in 2003. 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. sec-Butyl ethyl ether appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 2679-87-0, where EPA names it Butane, 2-ethoxy-.
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, floral, estery, light.
Where it is used
sec-Butyl ethyl ether is used in beverage, confection, flavoring and food products, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to sec-Butyl ethyl ether by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hexan-3-ol | 3351 | 89% | In nature |
| 3-Hexanone | 3290 | 89% | In nature |
| 2-Pentanol | 3316 | 75% | In nature |
| Amyl alcohol | 2056 | 75% | In nature |
| 3-Methyl-1-pentanol | 3762 | 75% | In nature |
More ethers in this index
Isoeugenyl ethyl ether · 2,4-Dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane · Digeranyl ether · Benzyl ethyl ether · 1,1-Dimethoxyethane · beta-Naphthyl methyl ether
sec-Butyl ethyl ether FAQ
Is sec-Butyl ethyl ether on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3131 covers sec-Butyl ethyl ether. The Code of Federal Regulations lists it at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for sec-Butyl ethyl ether?
The FEMA number for sec-Butyl ethyl ether is 3131 and its CAS registry number is 2679-87-0. Its flavor category is fruity.
What is sec-Butyl ethyl ether used for?
sec-Butyl ethyl ether is described as sweet, fruity, floral, estery, light. It shows up in beverage, confection, flavoring and food products.
What did JECFA conclude about sec-Butyl ethyl ether?
JECFA evaluated sec-Butyl ethyl ether at the 61st meeting in 2003 under JECFA number 1231. The panel concluded: no safety concern at current levels of intake.
Is sec-Butyl ethyl ether approved in the EU?
Yes. FL 03.005 is the Union List entry for sec-Butyl ethyl ether, annex I Part A, under Regulation 1334/2008, and the UK keeps the same list.
Is sec-Butyl ethyl ether natural or artificial?
Nature makes sec-Butyl ethyl ether, which is why the US label turns on process. A natural route gives natural flavor; synthesis gives artificial sec-Butyl ethyl ether, same molecule. The EU and UK grant the natural claim only to that natural route; Mercosur and Mexico call synthetic material 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 SEC-BUTYL ETHYL ETHER under CAS 2679-87-0 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.