Maltol

INS 636CAS 118-71-8

Used as a flavour enhancer.

Maltol smells of baking. It is the compound behind the aroma of fresh bread crust, roasted malt and caramel, and it is added to make sweetness read as richer than it is — a food can taste sweeter without more sugar.

Where it is and isn’t permitted

Status of Maltol by jurisdiction. Every jurisdiction this site covers is listed, including those where the substance does not appear.
JurisdictionStatusScope and limitsCitation
United StatesFood and Drug AdministrationNot listedDoes not appear on this jurisdiction’s permitted list. That is not the same as being prohibited.
Codex AlimentariusCodex Alimentarius Commission / JECFAPermitted, with conditions

5 food categories

highest permitted level 200 mg/kg

Show every food category
  • 01.1.4 Flavoured Fluid Milk Drinks — GMP
  • 01.7 Dairy-based desserts (e.g. pudding, fruit or flavoured yoghurt) — 200 mg/kg
  • 03.0 Edible ices, including sherbet and sorbet — 200 mg/kg
  • 05.2 Confectionery including hard and soft candy, nougats, etc. other than food categories 05.1, 05.3, and 05.4 — 200 mg/kg
  • 05.3 Chewing gum — 200 mg/kg
CXS 192-1995 Table One, INS 636and 4 further provisionsretrieved 2026-09-07

What it is made from

Produced by chemical synthesis, and present naturally in larch bark, roasted malt, chicory and baked bread. It forms during baking rather than being present in the dough.

  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
CAS registry number
118-71-8
InChIKey
XPCTZQVDEJYUGT-UHFFFAOYSA-N
PubChem
CID 8369

Every name it appears under

62 recorded names. A label may use any of them.

E number

  • E636

INS number

  • 636

CAS registry number

  • 118-71-8

Other names

  • 2-Methyl pyromeconic acid
  • 2-methyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyranone
  • 2-Methyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyrone
  • 2-methyl-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one
  • 2-Methyl-3-hydroxypyrone
  • 2-Methyl-3-oxy-.gamma.-pyrone
  • 2-Methyl-3-oxy-gamma-pyrone
  • 2-Methylpyromeconic acid
  • 3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-.gamma.-pyrone
  • 3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-pyrone
  • 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-oxopyrane
  • 3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyranone
  • 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone
  • 3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone, 99%
  • 3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one
  • 3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-g-pyrone
  • 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-gamma -pyrone
  • 3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-gamma-pyrone
  • 3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-pyran-4-one
  • 3-hydroxy-2-methylpyr-4-one
  • 3-hydroxy-2-methylpyran-4-one
  • 3-Hydroxy-2-methylpyrone
  • 3-Hydroxy-2-pyran-4-one
  • 3-hydroxyl-2-methyl-4-pyranone
  • 4H-Pyran-4-one, 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-
  • 5-18-01-00114 (Beilstein Handbook Reference)
  • 5-Hydroxy-6-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one
  • BRN 0112169
  • CAS-118-71-8
  • CCRIS 3467
  • Corps praline
  • Deferiprone EP Impurity B;Maltol
  • Deferiprone Impurity B
  • FEMA 2656
  • FEMA No. 2656
  • HSDB 8320
  • Ins no.636
  • Ins-636
  • Laricinic acid
  • Larixic acid
  • Larixinic acid
  • Laxarinic Acid
  • MALTOL
  • Maltol (natural)
  • Maltol (Standard)
  • Maltol, >=99.0%, FCC, FG
  • Maltol, analytical standard
  • Maltol, natural, >=98.5%, FG
  • methyl maltol
  • Methylmaltol
  • Palatone
  • Pantoprazole Sodium Impurity X
  • QSPL 180
  • Talmon
  • Veltol
  • Vetol
  • WLN: T6O DVJ B1 CQ
  • XPCTZQVDEJYUGT-UHFFFAOYSA-

Systematic names

  • 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4H-pyran-4-one

Hazard reference values

Values set by assessing bodies. A body that has not set a value is not listed here.
TypeValuePopulationAssessed byOpinion
ADI1 mg/kg bw/dayconsumersEFSA FEEDAP2016

Evidence and how bodies read it

Studies, and the differing conclusions regulators drew from them, are curated by hand rather than machine-read, and none has been written for this substance yet.

Sources for this page

  • gsfa retrieved 2026-09-07

Full licence terms and publisher details on Sources. How this page is built and updated: Method.

Machine-readable:/api/v1/additives/maltol.json