Flavor ingredient regulatory record
Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol
Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is an alcohol in the fruity family, FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3056 (CAS 97-99-4). Its odor is sweet, fruity, caramel, nutty, slightly floral.
- FEMA
- 3056
- CAS
- 97-99-4
- JECFA
- 1443
- EU FL
- 13.020
- Formula
- C5H10O2
- EC
- 202-625-6
GRAS status: FEMA GRAS, publication 3. Recorded by FDA in the Substances Added to Food inventory under CAS 97-99-4.
Structure
Identity
Also known as: 2-Furanmethanol, tetrahydro-, Furfuryl alcohol, tetrahydro-, Tetrahydro-2-furanmethanol, QO THFA, Tetrahydro-2-furancarbinol, Tetrahydro-2-furylmethanol, THFA, 2-(Hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran, Tetrahydro-2-furanylmethanol, Rac-(Tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)methanol, NSC 15434, (Tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)methanol.
Can Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol be labeled natural?
Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol occurs in nature, so the label depends on the route: tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol won from a natural source by a physical, enzymatic or microbiological process is natural flavor in the United States, and synthesized tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is artificial. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol 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
Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is FEMA GRAS under FEMA number 3056. 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 13.020, Annex I Part A under Regulation (EC) 1334/2008, evaluation status approved (EFSA). The UK retains the same list.
JECFA (WHO / FAO)
JECFA number 1443, evaluated at the 63rd meeting in 2004. 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. Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol appears on the EPA Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical Substance Inventory under CAS 97-99-4, where EPA names it 2-Furanmethanol, tetrahydro-.
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, slightly floral.
Taste: Sweet, smooth, mild.
Where it is used
Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is used in beverage, confection, baked goods, flavoring and desserts, typically as a fruity note.
Structurally similar flavor ingredients
Flavor ingredients with a GRAS determination closest to Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol by structure. Whether one can replace it is a sensory and regulatory call; the reformulation tool works that through.
| Material | FEMA | Similarity | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Furfuryl alcohol | 2491 | 87% | In nature |
| Butyl alcohol | 2178 | 79% | In nature |
| (+/-)-2-Methyl-1-butanol | 3998 | 77% | In nature |
| 2-Pentanol | 3316 | 72% | In nature |
| 3-Hydroxy-2-pentanone | 3550 | 72% | In nature |
More alcohols in this index
Dihydro-beta-ionol · 1-Penten-3-ol · Heptyl alcohol · trans-2-Tridecenol · 2-Hexen-1-ol · Furfuryl alcohol
Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol FAQ
Is tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol on the FEMA GRAS list?
It is. FEMA number 3056 covers tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol. It is also codified at 21 CFR 172.515.
What is the FEMA number for tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol?
The FEMA number for tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is 3056 and its CAS registry number is 97-99-4. FEMA files it in the fruity flavor category.
Is tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol natural or artificial?
Since tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is found in nature, US labeling follows how it was obtained: natural flavor from a natural source and a natural process, artificial when tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is synthesized. The EU and UK follow the same logic without a middle class; Mercosur and Mexico label synthetic tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol identical-to-natural.
Is tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol approved in the EU?
Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is on the EU Union List of flavouring substances as FL 13.020 (Annex I Part A) under Regulation 1334/2008.
Has JECFA evaluated tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol?
Yes. JECFA number 1443, evaluated at the 63rd meeting in 2004. Conclusion: No safety concern at current levels of intake when used as a flavouring agent.
What is tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol used for?
Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol is described as sweet, fruity, caramel, nutty, slightly floral. On the palate it is sweet, smooth, mild. It shows up in beverage, confection, baked goods, flavoring and desserts.
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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 TETRAHYDROFURFURYL ALCOHOL under CAS 97-99-4 and carries its FEMA number, its JECFA flavor number and its 21 CFR citations. 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.